LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

I UNITED STATES OP AMERICA. J 



7 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 



ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 



OF 



ROCHESTER, N.Y 



NARRATIVE OF THE 

EISE, PROGRESS, AND PRESENT CONDITION 
OF EACH RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION ; 

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF 

PASTORS, AND OF CLERGYMEN BORN IN 
THE CITY; 

WITH MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS, 

FROM AUGUST, 1815, TO JULY 7 , 1871. 

ZB-5T 

Rev. F. DeW. WARD, D.D., 

OF GEKESEO, N. Y. 



ROCHESTER: 
PUBLISHED BY ERASTU3 DARROW, 

OSBURN HOUSI BLOCK, 

1871. 










Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, by 

ERASTUS DARROW, 
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 



REPUBLICAN PRESS: J. W. CLEMENT, 
GENESEO, N. Y. 



Works by Key. F. D. W. Ward, D. D., of Geneseo, N. Y. 



India and the Hindoos. — Published by Messrs. Seribner 
& Co., New York; now out of print. 

Summer Yocation Abroad. — A journey through Britain, 
France, Italy, Belgium, &c, in 1854; Published by E. Darrow, 
Rochester. Price $1.00. 

Christian Gdjt. — A Series of Letters addressed by a Pastor 
to young christains ; published by E. Darrow, Rochester, N. Y. — 
Price 50 cents. 

Religious History of Rochester. — A Narrative of each 
Religious denomination of the City, from 1815 to 1871. Pub- 
lished by E. Darrow, Rochester. Price $1.00. 

UdP Mailed on receipt of price, by 

ERASTTJS DARROW, 

Rochester, N. Y. 






PREFACE. 



For the reason that religion is the most important of 
all subjects, the ecclesiastical history of any commun- 
ity surpasses every other feature in value and true in- 
terest. 

Rochester fitly attracts much attention by the rapidi- 
ty of its growth — there being not a house in 1810 
where the|populationnow numbers 70,000 ; Jby its emin- 
ent position in regard to several articles of produc- 
tion, manufacture and commerce ; but especially by 
the high character it early secured, and has ever re- 
tained, for [morality and religion. The founders of 
this "city of the wild" brought with them the Bible, 
and at once commenced those Sabbath and sanctuary 
services (preaching, prayer and sacraments) which had 
been their usage at their former homes. Atheism, 
Infidelity, with fatal religious heresies, have ever found 
this almost unwelcome and unfruitful soil. It has 
been the oft repeated ^expression [that a religious his- 
tory of Rochester be written to|the"glory of our com- 
mon Christianity, and as a grateful tribute" to those 
who, under God, made the ? place a what it is. 

The writer of the following work little anticipated 
the time and labor that wouldfbe required in its prep- 



IV PEEFACE. 

aration. Whatever success has attended the endeavor 
to save from oblivion important annals, and whatever 
interest the reader may find in perusing these pages, are 
largely due to the gentlemen who have rendered cheer- 
ful and abundant assistance. But for such aid the 
narratives had been meagre, incorrect and unsatisfac- 
tory, whereas there are now, it is believed, but few 
mistakes, and the omissions comparatively unimport- 
ant. The author presents his sincere thanks to pres- 
ent and former citizens — clerical and lay — for their 
many letters containing facts which find a place in 
these chapters. In the index, credit is given to con- 
tributors — the biographical sketches being almost en- 
tirely by the author. The three daily papers having 
obligingly published a notice many months ago of 
such a work in preparation, if any church is omitted, 
the fault rests with those who did not furnish informa- 
tion. The greatest difficulty has been in the spelling of 
proper names, especially those of foreign residents. 
Much assistance has been derived from C. C/ Drew's 
admirable Directory for 1871, a copy of which was 
loaned by a friendly hand. 

The last chapter contains facts and reminiscences in- 
teresting to many persons and worthy of historical 
preservation. 

The printer, Mr. James W. Clement, of Geneseo, 
and the publisher, have done their best to render the 
volume attractive and acceptable to the reader. 

Were the writer to make a formal dedication of his 
work, it would be to the Memory of the Founders 
of Christian churches in the village and city 
of Rochester. 



INDEX. 



TABES. 

Preface 3 

Presbyterian. 

General Introduction ; 11 

First Seth H. Terry 1 3 

Brick Louis Chapin 25 

Third Dr. Hall's Anniversary Sermon 32 

Central Messrs. W. Ailing and Geo. W. Parsons 39 

Calvary Rev. H. W. Morris 48 

Saint Peter's = Edward A. Raymond 55 

Westminster Rev. Henry M. Morey 65 

Reformed Rev. R. D. Sproull 69 

First United Rev. James P. Sankey *l 1 

Episcopalian. 

Saint Luke's Rev. Henry Anstice 76 

Saint Paul's Rev. J. V. Vanlngen, D.D. 92 

Trinity Rev. C. H. W. Stockiug 101 

Christ's Rev. Walton W. Battershall 112 

Good Shepherd Rev. Fred. W. Raikes 116 

Methodist. 

All in one narrative, by Rev. D. W. C. Huntingdon, D.D 119 

Baptist. 

First Wm. N. Sage 133 

Second D. R. Barton 140 

German Rev. Earnest Tschirch 144 

Congregational. 

First Samuel D. Porter 149 

Free Church O'Reilly's History 150 

Plymouth Erastus Darrow 151 



VI INDEX. 

Single' Churches. 

Zion's First Evangelical Lutheran Rev. F. YonRosenberg 159* 

German United Evangelical Rev. Charles Siebenpfeiffer 158 

First German Evangelical Association Rev. Michael Lehn 160 

First English Lutheran Rev. Reuben Hill 161 

Evangelical Reformed Emanuel Rochester Directory 162 

Evangelical Saint Paul's " " 162 

First Reformed (Dutch) ;Rev. P. Bahlef 163 

First Universalist Rev. George Montgomery 164 

First Unitarian D. L. Crittenden 165 

Roman Catholic Catholic and City Directories 167 

Friends O'Reilly and Directory 169 

Jews ; Directory 170 

Second Advent Directory 170 

Young Men and the Ministry 173 

Miscellany. 

Preferments of Rochester Pastors 176 

Long Pastorates 177 

Desirable Changes of Use 177 

Revivals 178 

The Bible 179 

Foreign Missions 180 

Tracts and Books 180 

Sabbath Schools 180 

Temperance • 181 

Fires ! 182 

Benevolent and Christian Institutions. ... 183 

University of Rochester 183 

Rochester Theological Seminary 184 

Rapid Church Erection 184 

Fall of a Steeple 184 



Explanations, Errata, and Additions, 

Which Readers are requested to notice as they peruse the Volume. 



It was originally intended to embody in this work biographical sketches of 
pioneer citizens who have taken an active and prominent part in organizing 
and establishing the various churches. Limited room and difficulty of se- 
lection have rendered unadvisable this interesting feature. Such narratives 
would form in themselves a valuable and welcome volume. The 1,500 dif- 
ferent persons herein named include most of the early christian comers. 

Sabbath Schools. — In addition to the statements on page 180, the fol- 
lowing, furnished by Louis Chapin, Esq., are of great historic value: "In 
1870 Kochester had 50 Protestant Sunday schools, 1,353 teachers, 12,410 
scholars, with an average attendance of 8,674. During that year, 429 per- 
sons connected with these Sunday schools, united with the various churches 
on profession of their faith." 

First Presbyterian. — Add to " Summary," the names of Elders R. M. 
Dalzel, E. "W. Armstrong, M.D., and John "W\ Adams. Also, Dr. Penney not 
Penny, Glasgow not G-lascow, font not fount. 

Third Presbyterian. — Died, in Rochester, Sept. 10, 1871, Rev. A. G-. 
Hall, D.D., the pastor for thirty-one years of the Third Presbyterian church, 

" Servant of Christ— well done— 
Kest from thy loved employ." 

Saint Peter's, Presbyterian. — A chime of nine bells placed in the towe r 
in 1860, were melted in the fire of 1868, but replaced by a chime of twelve 
bells upon rebuilding the structure. Page 59, fourth line from top, for Rev. 
Dr. Hall read Rev. W. H. Green, D.D., of Princeton, N. J, Page 61, third 
line from bottom, for Chicago read Bridgeport, Conn. 



Vlll EXPLANATIONS, ERRATA, AND ADDITIONS. 

Saint Luke's, Episcopal.— Page 83, eighteenth line from top, for "early 
decree," read "academic degree." Wardens in succession— Nathaniel Roch- 
ester, 1817-19 ; Samuel I. Andrews, '17-20 ; Geo. G. Sill, '20 ; William At- 
kinson, '20-22 ; J. Mastick, '22-6 ; W, Pitkin, '27-66 ; S. 0, Smith, '28-33 ; 
V. Matthews, '34-46 ; N. T. Rochester, '47-58, and '66-68 ; W. Brewster, 
1859, and G. H. Perkins from 1869. Vestrymen have been from almost all 
the leading members. Clerks of Vestry— R. Babbitt, 1817-21 ; N. T. Roch- 
ester, '21-33, and '35-43; H. E. Rochester, '32-33 and '44; E. D. Smith, '34; 
T. C. Montgomery, '45-54; P. A. Whittlesey, '55-56 and '62 ; J. A. Eastman, 
'57-61 ; P. W. Garfield. '63-64 ; E. A. Frost, '65 ; R. H. Rochester, '65-66 ; 
J. P. Humphrey, '66 ; Allen Ayrault, H. L. Churchill, '67-69 ; W. Eastwood, 
'70; T. Raines, '71. Treasurers— R. Babbitt, '17-21 ; N. T. Rochester, '22- 
32; W. Pitkin, '32-36; P. Whittlesey, '36-39; C. Morse, '39-44; I. M. Pish, 
'44; H. Scranton, '45-48; A. J. Brackett, '49-54; E. Whalen, '55-62; A. 
Karnes, '62-65 ; E. R. Hammatt, '65 (These were reluctantly left out in 
the following narrative for want of space in that position). 

Pirst Baptist. — Page 135, for Geo. Davison read Geo. Dawson, and for 
Richard M. Scott read Richard M. Nott. Page 138, for Ezra Owen read Ezra 
Zeburn. Treasurer, E. T. Oatley. This church has a flourishing out-station 
entitled The Rapids Mission chapel,- which promises an useful future to the 
southern part of the city. 

Second Baptist. — In 1870 this church es.ablished a mission and built a 
handsome and commodious chapel on the corner of East avenue and Anson 
Park, at a cost of $18,000 : the lot cost $5,000. It is named Bethlehem Mis- 
sion. A Sabbath school of 250 scholars, under the superintendence of Mr. 
J. S. Phillips, meet in the chapel on the Sabbath, and a meeting for worship 
is held on Tuesday evening. 

Aristarchus Champion, Esq., whose name often appears in the following 
pages, died in Rochester on the 18th of September, 1871, at the advanced 
age of ninety years. A native of Connecticut, he had made his home in this 
place since 1826. He possessed abundant wealth, which he devoted largely 
to the cause of morality and religion. 



PRESBYTERIAN 



GENERAL INTRODUCTION. 



In the spring of 1813, the population of Rochester 
(then a part of the town of Gates), consisted of about 
eight or ten families. As late as January of that 
year heathen worship was celebrated, and for the 
last time, by the Seneca Indians, on the occasion of 
their annual feast. This occurred on the spot where 
the Erie canal intersects with South Washington 
street, at the north-west corner, where the old Bethel 
church stood. The public worship of God on the 
Sabbath was then first held at the instance of Mrs. 
Hamlet Scran torn and Mrs. Wheelock, "women of 
faith and prayer," who obtained from Mr. Jehiel Bar- 
nard permission to use the upper story of his tailor 
shop on Buffalo street for that purpose. This shop 
stood on the north side ot the street, and not far east 
from State street, a little west of the present entrance 
to the " Arcade." The room for worship was twenty- 
two feet long and fourteen wide. Mr. Barnard (who 
subsequently married the daughter of Mrs. Scrantom, 
and whose marriage was the first one celebrated in 
Rochester) and Mr. Warren Brown conducted the 
meetings, the exercises of which were extempore 
prayer, singing, and reading a sermon. 



12 CHUKCHES OF KOCHESTEK. 

After some months the Rev. Daniel Brown, a 
Baptist minister of Pittsford, and Rev. Reuben Par- 
melee, a Presbyterian minister of Victor, came occa- 
sionally and preached to the people, who were then 
worshipping in the lower room of Mr. Barnard's 
building, used also as a school room. From that 
time down to August, 1815, there was but one place of 
worship for all denominations — first, Mr. Barnard's 
shop ; and afterwards, as early as May, 1814, a small 
school house (then just built) on the spot where now 
stands the Free Academy. 

The first movement for separation was made in 
August, 1815. This separation was amicable, and 
those of different religious tenets assisted each other 
afterwards in the building of their original houses of 
worship, and in the support of a preached gospel. 



FIRST CHURCH. 



The Presbytery of Geneva, shortly prior to August 
22, 1815, appointed a committee, to meet at Rochester 
(then a part of Gates) on the day last named, to take 
into consideration the expediency of forming a church. 
The committee consisted of Rev. Daniel Fullar and 
Rev. Reuben Parmelee, ministers ; Deacon Samuel 
Stone and Deacon Isaac B. Barnum, elders. They 
convened on the day appointed. Rev. Eleazer Fair- 
banks and Rev. Comfort Williams being present, were 
invited to sit in council. Rev. Mr. Fullar was chosen 
moderator, and Rev. Mr Parmelee scribe. 

4 ; Articles of Faith," fourteen in number ; "Articles 
of Practice," twelve in number ; and a "Covenant," 
were submitted and adopted by Oliver Gibbs, Daniel 
West, Henry Donelly, Elisha Ely, Warren Brown, 
Charles Magne, Aaron Lay, Jane Gibbs, Elizabeth 
West, Hannah Donelly, Hannah Ely, Huldah Stod- 
dard, Polly Magne, Sarah Lay, Sybil Bickford, Ara- 
bella Starks, who, having professed their faith accord- 
ing to said articles and entered into said covenant, 
were constituted into a regular church of Christ. 

Oliver Gibbs and Daniel West were chosen elders, 
with the designation of deacons ; and Warren Brown 



14 CHEKCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

and Henry Donelly were chosen elders. These men 
were ordained and set apart to their offices by prayer 
and a charge agreeably to the Directory of the Pres- 
byterian church. The population of Rochester was 
then 331. 

Of the original members of the church, one only, 
Mrs. Polly Magne, of Baltimore, Md., is now living. 

Rev. Comfort Williams was installed as first pastor, 
January 17, 1816, in an unfinished store on Carroll 
(now State) street ; the ministers officiating being Rev. 
Messrs. A. C. Collins, J. Merrill, E. Fitch, D.D., Wm. 
Clark, R. Parmelee, J. H. Hotchkin, and F. Pomeroy 
— all deceased. Such was the sparseness of the pop- 
ulation that a meeting of the church could not be reg- 
ularly convened unless "notice had been sent to set- 
tlements on the ridge in Gates and in the east part of 
Brighton." After a pastorate of nearly four years, 
Mr. Williams resigned, May 11, 1821, and was suc- 
ceeded by Rev. Joseph Penny, who was installed 
April 3, 1822, holding the position with marked abili- 
ty and acceptance till April 16, 1833, when at his own 
request the pastorate relation was dissolved. 

The records of the church contain the following en- 
try : "Note. — Public worship was constantly main- 
tained and kept up from the dismission of Rev. Mr. 
Williams until the settlement of Mr, Penny. It was 
so directed by Divine Providence that there was 
preaching every Sabbath during the whole time, ex- 
cepting two whole and two half days, at which times 
service was attended and sermons read. So certain of 
having preaching did some individuals feel as not to 
have doubts about it when no minister had come so 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 15 

late as Saturday night, and though they had heard of 
none that was expected. So careful was a most mer- 
ciful Redeemer to take care and feed the little flock, 
which was not only seemingly without a teacher, but 
encompassed with great difficulties, dangers and dis- 
tresses, both from within and without." 

Rev. Tryon Edwards was installed pastor July 2, 
1834, and was succeeded, May 19, 1845, by Rev. Mal- 
com 1ST. McLaren, D.D., whom ill health compelled to 
resign in two years, when Rev. Joshua H, Mcllvaine, 
D.D., assumed the pastorate, and was followed (May,. 
1861) by Rev. Calvin Pease, D.D., whose lamented 
death occurred in Vermont, September 17, 1863. The 
oharge was then assumed by Rev. Caspar M. Wines s 
who held the same from May 22, 1866, to July, 1868, 
when he removed to the east, and was succeeded by 
Rev. J. L. Robertson, the present incumbent, who was 
installed the eighth pastor, September 15, 1870, and 
who is laboring with much efficiency and success 
among'an attached people. 

The original church edifice — a plain wooden build- 
ing standing on piers — was erected on State (then 
Carroll) street, where is now Hamilton's block. To 
meet the demands of a rapidly increasing population 
and multiplying Sabbath assemblage, a lot was se- 
cured in the rear of the court house, where was erect- 
ed a stone structure of ample and attractive appear- 
ance, which was dedicated to the worship of G-od 
October 28, 1824. A discourse preached upon the 
occasion by the pastor, Rev. Joseph Penny, D.D.. 
attracted much attention, and was widely circulated 
over the land. Repeated enlargements and improve- 



16 CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

ments were made in the building, until it was so much 
injured by a fire that entire reconstruction became an 
imperative necessity. Before this occurrence, the 
lecture room on the east side of the edifice had been 
removed, and one of large size and architectural 
beauty erected on the west side. The ground, being 
greatly needed for public purposes, was sold to the 
city, and a lot has been purchased on the corner of 
Plymouth avenue and Spring street, upon which a 
new edifice is in course of erection, the corner-stone 
having been laid with appropriate services. 

The "old First" has a history of rare interest. 
Sermons of great power have been preached, and 
scenes of surpassing importance have been witnessed, 
within its walls. Of many now on earth, and more in 
the heavenly world, may it be said, "This and that 
man was born there." Never will that spot be forgot- 
ten by the many who there made for the first time 
public profession of their faith in Jesus ; there received 
their first communion ; there brought their children to 
the baptismal fount ; and there listened to funeral 
discourses commemorating the lost of heart and home. 
An historian may not indulge in sentiment, therefore 
the writer must refrain from expressing emotions 
awakened by what that building has been to him and 
his for two score years. 

We pass from the building with its deeply interest- 
ing associations to notice the 

PASTORS OP THE FIRST. 

Rev. Comfort Williams was a native of Wethers- 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 17 

field, Conn.; graduated at Yale and Andover ; com- 
menced his ministry at Ogdensburgh, ~N. Y., removing 
to this (then) village, and took the pastoral charge of 
this church January 17, 1816 (the sermon being 
preached by Rev. Dr. Fitch, first president of Wil- 
liams college, Mass.), being dismissed, at his own re- 
quest, May 11, 1821. To be the "first religious instruct- 
or in a community like this is to occupy a position of 
special honor and responsibility. The name of ; ' Parson 
Williams" lives in but few living memories, for pastor 
and people have, with few exceptions, gone to their 
eternal rest. A street on the east side of the river 
(Comfort street) perpetuates his name and home. A 
son, Charles H. Williams, still resides in the city. 

Rev. Joseph Penny, D.D., was born in Ireland;, 
educated in Dublin and G-lascow ; migrated to this 
country, accompanied by Rev. John Mulligan, in 
1819 ; resided a brief time at Jamaica, L. L; was in- 
stalled pastor of this church April 3, 1822 ; resigned 
April 16, 1833 ; assumed charge of the First Congre- 
gational church of Northampton, Mass., from whick 
he soon passed to the presidency of Hamilton college,. 
N. Y., where he remained four years. After a tempo- 
rary residence at ISTyack, IS". Y., and Grand Rapids, 
Mich. , Dr. Penny returned to this city, and after years 
of intense suffering from a nervous affection (during 
which period his wife and her sister, Miss Sterling, 
both died), he "fell asleep in Jesus" March 22, 1860, 
and lies entombed on Mount Hope, beside many mem- 
bers of his cherished household. Of masculine intel- 
lect, large scholastic attainments, commanding pres- 
ence, a warm Irish heart, and unusual facility of con- 



18 CHUECIIES OF EOCHESTEE. 

versation, Dr. Penny has left an ineffaceable impress- 
ion upon this community and region. Whatever 
aimed to advance the people, intellectually as well as 
religiously, received his cordial sympathy and earnest 
cooperation. His portrait, purchased by public con- 
tribution, graces the Athenseum, of which valued in- 
stitution (under its original title of the "Franklin 
Institute") he was a leading projector. When he 
assumed the presidency of Hamilton college, gentle- 
men of this city became responsible for his salary for 
ten years. His published discourses — entited "The 
House of Mirth," "Address at the Laying of the 
Corner-stone of the First Church," "Dedication Dis- 
courses," "Fourth of July Oration," and "Instal- 
lation of Rev. Messrs. Ward and Cherry as Mission- 
aries to India" — are models of thought and expression, 
indicating power and cultivation. His early, life-long 
and gifted friend, Mr. Mulligan, was for a consider- 
able period one of the most popular teachers in western 
New York, and at the time of his death, in 1860, was 
principal of a large seminary at the metropolis. The 
life career of these gifted sons of Erin began, contin- 
ued and ended almost simultaneously. "In death 
they were not divided." 

Rev. Tryon Edwards, D.D., was born in Hartford, 
Conn.; graduated at Yale and Princeton, and became 
third pastor of the First church July 2, 1834. Resign- 
ing in 1844, he removed to New London, Conn. , and min- 
istered to a large Congregational society, from which 
place he removed to Hagerstown, Md., where he still 
resides, holding at the same time the presidency of the 
Wilson Female seminary, having been active in its es- 



CHUKCHES OF ROCHESTER. 19 

tablishment and prosperity. Enjoying and improving 
the advantages of our best seminaries of literature and 
theology, with a mind well and successfully trained 
to habits of thought and expression, his discourses 
(especially a series addressed to young men), coupled 
with courteous manners out of the pulpit, made him 
popular while a resident here, and will give him a long 
continued place in the memory of those who attended 
his ministry and enjoyed his acquaintance during his 
ten years pastorate of this church. 

Rev. Malcolm N. McLaren, D.D., a native of Al- 
bany, 1ST. Y. ; graduated at Union and Princeton, and 
after ministering in several places, came to Rochester 
in 1845 ; after two years pastorate he resigned to as- 
sume charge of a Dutch Reformed church at Brooklyn, 
which he subsequently left and removed to Newburgh, 
from whence he came to Caledonia, where he now 
ministers to a large and important community. 
Wherever located, Dr. McLaren has always com- 
manded universal respect for superior qualities, in and 
out of the pulpit ; securing attention to the truth by 
clear and eloquent exhibition of doctrine and duty, 
heightened in effect by marked courtesy of manner, 
and a warm heart. 

Rev. Joshua XL Mcllvaine, D.D., was born in Del- 
aware ; studied at Princeton college and seminary ; 
was pastor of a Presbyterian church at Little Falls, 
then at Utica (Westminster) ; coming to Rochester 
April 23, 1848, where he presided over the First with 
great ability till his removal to the chair of Political 
Economy and Rhetoric in his alma mater, which he 
has recently left to become pastor of the High Street 



20 OHUECHES OF EOCHESTER. 

church at Newark, 1ST. J. In native talents, studious 
investigation, thorough scholarship, nervous express- 
ion, and pulpit power, Dr. Mcllvaine has few equals 
among the thinkers, students, authors and preachers 
of the land or age. He is in middle life, and has be- 
fore him a hopeful future of honor and usefulness. 

Rev. Calvin Pease, D.D., was of New England ori- 
gin, his parents being of Puritan faith, tradition and 
habits. The place of his birth was Canaan, Conn., 
and his scholastic graduation at the University of 
Vermont, of which institution he subsequently became 
professor and president. In May, 1861, he was in- 
stalled pastor of this church, holding the position 
with increasing popularity and enlarging usefulness 
until his lamented death, when on a visit to Burling- 
ton, on the 17th of September, 1863. Says an intimate 
acquaintance, "In him, as I think, Vermont has lost 
her ablest man, one who combined the highest, most 
exact and critical scholarship, the most liberal and 
far-reaching views, the greatest practical ability with 
an intuitive perception of the characteristic qualities 
of men he came in contact with." These traits were 
happily illustrated during his brief but memorable 
pastorate here. A committee was sent to represent 
the church at the funeral, and testimonials of affection 
were presented to the widow and her family. The 
death of Dr. Pease was no common affliction, and his 
returnless absence no common loss to this city and 
region. 

Rev. Caspar Maurice Wines, son of E. C. Wines, 
D.D., widely and favorably known in connection with 
prison reform, was born in Philadelphia, educated at 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 21 

Washington College, Pennsylvania, and Princeton 
Theological Seminary. After temporary ministrations 
in Jersey City and Newburgh, he became pastor of 
the First church March 22, 1866, which position he 
held for two years with much ability. He has since 
preached to congregations at Brookline, Mass., and is 
now pastor of a church in Hartford, Conn. 

Rev. James L. Robertson was born at Steubenviile, 
Ohio, of Scotch parents ; pursued his classical studies 
at Northwood, Ohio (Ref. Pres. Coll., now extinct), 
and theological in Allegheny, Pa. Having been li- 
censed by the Presbytery of Steubenviile, he . was 
ordained and installed pastor of the United Pres- 
byterian church of Geneva, N> Y., from which he 
passed to the pastoral charge of the Second Presbyte- 
rian church of Cincinnati, Ohio, and thence to the 
First Presbyterian church of Rochester, over which 
he was installed pastor December 7, 1870. 

ELDERS AND DEACONS. 

The following have been elected and ordained elders 
of the church. The dates of their ordination are 
given : 

August 22, 1815— Oliver Gibbs, Daniel West, Warren 
Brown, Henry Donnelly. 

July 7, 1816— Azel Ensworth. 

August 4, 1822— Jacob Gould, Levi Ward, Jr. 

July 18, 1824 — Russell Green, Moses Chapin, Sal- 
mon Scofield. 

January 27, 1828— Charles J. Hill, Frederick Starr. 

April 21, 1833 — Ashley Sampson, James K. Living- 
ston. 



22 CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

April 29, 1839— Charles W. Dundas, Marcus Holmes. 

August 2, 1846— Robert M. Dalzell, Eben N. Buell. 

June 10, 1849 — Edward W. Armstrong, Charles 
Church, Thomas Kempshall. 

May 20, 1855— John W. Adams, James S. Tryon, 
George Dutton. 

February 25, 1863— Oliver M. Benedict, Seth H. 
Terry. 

January 8, 1871— William Burke, Seth H. Terry, 
Charles J. Hayden, Oscar Craig. 

Of the above there are still living, Mr. Hill, who is 
now a member of Plymouth Congregation church in 
this city ; Mr. Livingston, who lives at Newark, 1ST. J. ; 
Mr. Dundas, at Baltimore, Md.; Mr. Tryon, at Hart- 
ford, Conn.; Mr. Buell, in Rochester; besides Messrs. 
Dalzell, Armstrong, Adams, Benedict, Terry, Burke, 
Hayden, and Craig, who are the present acting elders. 
Mr. Craig is clerk of the session. 

The following have been elected and ordained Dea- 
cons of the church : 

August 22, 1815— Oliver Gibbs, Daniel West. 

August 4, 1822— Levi Ward, Jr. 

February 2, 1859 — John G. Dabney, William Burke. 

January 8, 1871 — John T. Fox, James F. Baker. 

THE SABBATH SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS 

Have been, from 1817 to 1826, inclusive, Messrs. 
Elisha Ely, Everard Peck, David W. Allen, John H. 
Thompson, Ashley Sanrpson, and Josiah Bissell, Jr. 

1827 to 1829— Charles J. Hill. 

1829 to 1831— Ashley Sampson. 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 23 

1831 to 1833— Charles J. Hill. 

1834 to 1336— Walter S. Griffith. 

1837 to 1852— L. A. Ward. 

1852 to 1856— John JS T . Pomeroy. 

1856 to 1858— John W. Adams. 

1858 to 1862— Rev. J. H. Mcllvaine, D.D. 

1862 to 1868—0. M. Benedict. 

1868 to present time — George C. Bnell. 

MINISTERS AND MISSIONARIES FROM THIS CHURCH, 

Jonathan S. Green, S. Islands. 

F. DeW. Ward, D.D., India; Geneseo. 
Henry Cherry, India ; South. 

T. D wight Hunt, S. Islands ; California, 

James Ballantine, Rochester. 

L. Merrill Miller, D.D., Ogdensburgh. 

Henry E. Peck, deceased. 

Charles G. Lee, deceased. 

Frederick M. Starr, deceased. 

Everard Kempshalh D.D., Elizabeth, 1ST. J. 

William K McCoon. 

Charles R. Clarke, San Diego. 

Henry B. Chapin, Ph. D., New York City. 

Robert Proctor. 

George Dutton, deceased. 

M. L. R. P. Hill, Gloversville, K Y. 

G. Parsons Mchols, Milwaukee. 

Henry A. DeForest, M.D., Syria, deceased. 

Mrs. DeForest, Syria. 

Mrs. Delia Stone Bishop, S. Islands. 

Mrs. Maria Ward Chapin Smith, Syria, deceased, 



24 CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

Pastor — Rev. James L. Robertson. 

Elders— Oliver M. Benedict. SethH. Terry, William 
Burke, Charles J. Hayden, and Oscar Craig (clerk of 
session). 

Deacons — Joshua T. Fox and James Baker. 

Sabbath School Superintendent — George C. Buell. 

Sabbath School Pupils— -275. 

Communicants — 475. 



SECOND (OR BRICK) CHURCH. 



This Society was organized November 18th, 1825, 
with twenty-five members, of whom three only are now 
living, viz: Anrelia Gorsline (still a communicant), 
Derick Sibley (residing at Cincinnati, Ohio), and 
Seth Case (at Grlenbula, Wisconsin). • The first place 
of worship was a frame building on the west side of 
(Carroll, now) State street. A brick structure on the 
corner of Fitzhugh and (Ann, now) Allen streets was 
completed in 1828, which was used till April 1st, 1860, 
when it was closed with appropriate and impressive 
exercises, its place being taken by the present commo- 
dious edifice, which was dedicated June 30th, 1861 ; 
the sermon being preached by Rev. Samuel Fisher, 
D.D., then President of Hamilton College. 

The corporate name of the church was changed 
November 10, 1833, from the " Second" to the " Brick 
Presbyterian Church in Rochester," and so reported 
to Presbytery February, 1834. 

A Sunday School was organized at an early period, 
but no records are to be found prior to 1827, at which 
time there were seven teachers and thirty-nine scholars 
with a library of eight bound volumes and a few tracts. 

In August, 1844, when the Washington street (now 



26 CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

the Central) church needed and asked help, fifteen: 
valuable members of the Brick, mostly with families, 
responded to the call and joined them. Upon the or- 
ganization of the Plymouth (Congregational) church, 
in 1855, thirteen communicants went there. 

This church has been blessed with frequent revi- 
vals, which added to its membership, between 1826 and 
1870, two thousand two hundred and thirty-one upon 
profession of their faith. The largest additions were 
in 1831, 100 ; 1832, 208 ; 1834, 200 ; 1843, 118 ; 1844, 
83 ; 1837, 111 ; 1861, 68 ; 1864, 67; 1862, 207 ; 1869, 74. 

A memorial chapel is now erecting by members of 
this parish on the corner of Hudson and Wilson streets, 
at an outlay of $10,000 or more. 

PASTORS. 

The first pastor, Rev. William James, D.D., was 
born at Albany, N. Y., in 1807 ; graduated at Prince- 
ton, N J., college and Theological seminary; preached 
for a brief time at Clarkson, IN". Y. ; assumed the pas- 
torate of the Brick church, April, 1826, and resigned 
in 1830 ; became for a few months pastor of the Third 
Presbyterian church of Albany, N. Y., and, after a 
protracted illness, died in his native city on the 15th 
of February, 1868. Among his last utterances were 
these : " It is all j oy— j oy— j oy ! " " My faith is per- 
fect, is perfect." "The other side is all sunshine." "I 
am ready to shout at the vision of the exceeding glo- 
ry." "Nothing is so precious to me as that Christ 
died for us." For richness of thought, and power of 
expression, and eloquence of utterance, Dr. James has 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 27 

had few equals among the pulpit orators of the land. 
His published discourses, entitled the "Debt of nations 
to Christianity" and "The Moral responsibility of the 
American nation," were delivered in this city, and are 
well entitled to preservation in print. 

During the year following the resignation of Dr. 
James the pulpit was supplied by Rev. Daniel N". 
Merrit, and Rev. F. DeW. Ward, then under appoint- 
ment as a missionary to India. 

The second pastor, Rev. Wm. Wisner, D.D., was 
born at Warwick, IN". Y., commenced the practice of 
law, and, after a course of private instruction, was 
licensed to preach the Gospel. His first pastorate 
was at Ithaca, N. Y. , which he left to take charge of 
the Brick church in this city. Arriving here in 1831, 
he remained four years, when he went to St. Louis, 
but soon returned to his early home in Ithaca, and 
closed a long, honored and useful life at Cedar Rap- 
ids, Iowa, January 7, 1861. During his pastorate of 
this church, a debt of $14, 000 was paid ; the edifice 
underwent extensive repairs ; the membership largely 
increased, his able and faithful ministrations being- 
crowned with abundant success. Dr. Wisner and his 
son, Dr. W. C. Wisner, of Lockport, have both been 
Moderators of General Assembly. 

The third pastor was Rev. George Beecher, son of 
the late Rev. Lyman Beecher, D.D., who was installed 
June 28, 1838, and resigned October 6, 1810. He then 
removed to Chilicothe, Ohio, where he accidentally 
shot himself, July 1, 1843. His memoirs have been 
written by his sister. 

Fourth in the pastorate of this church is the present 



28 CHUKCHES OF EOCHESTEE. 

incumbent, Rev. James Boylen Shaw, D.D. Born in 
New York city, he became a member of the Brick 
church (now on Murray Hill). He was one of the first 
children upon whose head the venerable Dr. Spring 
laid his hands in baptism. Upon completing a class- 
ical education in his native city, and theological at 
Auburn, he became pastor of the Presbyterian church 
at Attica, from whence he removed to this city in De- 
cember, 1840. For thirty-one years has Dr. Shaw pros- 
ecuted his ministry here with a fidelity and success 
seldom equalled. He has seen results of his labors far 
beyond what is usually permitted to the most favored. 
He was Moderator of the General Assembly in 1865, 
at Brooklyn, having been elected by acclamation. 

THE EXILING ELDEES 

Of this church have been, Messrs. Timothy L. Ba- 
con, Linus Stevens, Silas Hawley (1825), Worthington 
Wright, Benjamin Campbell (1827), Enos Pomeroy 
(1832), Orlando Hastings, David Dickey, John H. 
Thompson (1833), James Seymour, Jacob M. Scher- 
merhorn, Harvey Pratt (1838), Jeremiah Hildreth, 
Samuel W. Lee, H. C. Fenn, Edwin Scrantom (1846), 
Louis Chapin, Bichard Gorsline, J. W. Hatch, Edwin 
T. Huntingdon, Truman A. Newton, and Jacob Howe 
(1859). Of these officers eleven are deceased, four re- 
signed, and seven now acting. 

THE DEACONS 

Have been Messrs. Abner Hubbard, Phineas B. 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 29 

Cook, Charles W. Dundas (1833), Edward Bardwell, 
David O. Porter, John T. Fox, and Charles J. Hay den, 
of whom one is deceased, four dismissed by letter, and 
two acting. 

THE SUNDAY SCHOOL 

Has always been an important adjunct and coopera- 
tive agency of this church. The superintendents have 
been Messrs. Jonathan Brown (1827), John H. Thomp- 
son {twenty -three years), Alex. J. Burr (1838), Samuel 
W. Lee (1840), Nelson Hall (1842-3), Louis Chapin 
(1847, >65-6\ Richard Dibble (1849), James F. Conk- 
lin (1850), Edwin T. Huntington (1854-8), Truman A. 
Newton (1862-4), Jesse W. Hatch (1867), and Elisha 
M. Carpenter (1868-9-70). 

During the last forty- three years there have been 
received into the church from the Sabbath school, up- 
on profession of their faith, one hundred and twenty- 
four teachers, and one thousand and sixty-five 
scholars. 

MEMBERS OF THE BRICK WHO HAVE ENTERED THE 
MINISTRY. 

Rev. David C. Ames. 

Rev. Horace H. Allen, Oneonta, N. Y. 

Rev. Charles R. Burdick, Joilet, 111. 

Rev. Lemuel Clark. 

Rev. Philo G. Cook, Buffalo, 1ST. Y. 

Rev. Darwin Chichester, Hammondsport, N. Y. 

Rev. Nathan Chapin, La Crosse, Wis. 

Rev. Elisha M. Carpenter, New York city. 



30 CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

Rev. Hiram W. Congdon. 
Rev. David Dickey, Bethel Society, Rochester, 
Rev. W. Evarts. 

Rev. Corlis B. Gardner, Cuba, K Y. 
Rev. T. D wight Hunt, Niles, Michigan. 
Rev. Aug. F. Hall, died at Webster, N. Y. 
Rev. Parsons C. Hastings, Brooklyn (a merchant). 
Rev. Gavin L. Hamilton, Rochester. 
Rev. Alvan Ingersoll, died at Rochester, 1863. 
Rev. Thomas H. Johnson, Rehoboth, Mass. 
Rev. Jonathan Ketchum. 
Rev. AmosD. McCoy. 
Rev. David Millard. 
Rev. George W. Mackie, Chicago, 111. 
Rev. Enoch K. Miller, Texas. 
Rev. Henry T. Miller. 

Rev. James S. Pierpont, San Francisco, Cal. 
Rev. James H. Phelps, Flushing, Mich. 
Rev. David H. Palmer, Prattsburg, IN". Y. 
Rev. John Spink, Methodist. 

Rev. Augustus C. Shaw (son of the pastor), Fulton, 
K Y. 

Rev. Edwin S. Wright, D.D., Fredonia, N. Y. 
Rev. Ansley D. White, Clinton, 111. 
Rev. Worthington Wright. 

SUMMAftl, juzr /, /87t. 

Pastor. — Rev. James Boylen Shaw, D.D. 

Elders — Messrs. David Dickey, Harvey C. Fenn, 
Edwin Scrantom, Louis Chapin, Jesse W. Hatch, 
Edwin T. Huntington, and Truman A. Newton. 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 3t 

Deacons — Messrs. Edward Bardwell and David O. 
Porter. 
S. S. Superintendent — Edwin T. Huntington. 
Teachers — 72. Scholars— 822. 
Church Communicants — 1250. 



MEMORIAL CHAPEL. 



This recent erection, located on the north-east corner 
of Hudson and Nelson streets, derived its name from. 
the fact that members of the Brick church contributed 
their proportion of the monies donated by them dur- 
ing the memorial years of 1869 and 1870, to this theiy 
colony. Commenced as a Sabbath school held in a- 
public school house number eighteen, it has become 
a separate body, under the Rev. Gavin L. Ham- 
ilton, who had ministered for a period at Pittsford, 
and who, on the first of January, 1871, took hold 
of this enterprise with an earnestness, ensuring 
under God, large results for good in a locality 
needing the labors of a faithful pastor and working 
church. May the child be worthy of the parent. 
More can hardly be asked. 

ERRATA IN THIS NARRATIVE. 

Page 25, eleventh line from bottom, for Rev. Samuel Fisher read Re*. 
Samuel W. Fisher. 

Page 25, eighth line from bottom, read " The Trustees of the Brick ohurefe- 
in Rochester. 

Page 27, fourteenth line from bottom, for 1861 read 1871. 

Page 28, eighth line from bottom, for Harvey Pratt read Harry Pratt 



THIRD CHURCH. 



In December, 1826, a religious society was incorpo- 
rated on the east side of the river (then called 
Brighton), which ultimately became the " Third Pres- 
byterian church of Rochester." The first place of 
worship was a school house on the corner of Mortimer 
and Clinton streets. This being too strait for the con- 
gregation, a building was erected on the same street, 
size 24 by 60, the timber standing in its native forest 
on Monday and services held on the next Lord's day. 
As if to add to the celebrity of this structure, within 
its walls originated the plan, which was afterwards 
adopted by the American Bible society, of supplying 
every destitute family in the land with a copy of the 
word of God ; and also that honest but abortive effort 
to prevent by law of Congress the transportation of 
the mail and to close all post-offices on the Sabbath, 
coupled with the establishment of a Sabbath-keeping 
line'of boats on the canal, and a pioneer line of coaches 
on the road. These all had their origin in the heart of 
that man of christian earnestness and energy, Josiah 
Bissell, Jr., first elder of this church. 

On the 28th of February, 1827, a formal organization 
fsras perfected by the enrollment of nineteen persons 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 3& 

with letters from the First and Brick Presbyterian 
churches. Messrs. Salmon Scofield and Josiah Bis- 
sell, Jr., were elected elders — both long deceased, as. 
are all the other founders. 

This temporary but honored place of worship ere 
long yielded to one more commodious, substantial and 
attractive, on the corner of Main and North Clinton 
streets. But in so doing a debt was contracted which 
resulted in the selling of the property to the Second 
Baptist society at a nominal amount of §7000. The 
first pastor, Rev. (now Dr.) Joel Parker, having ac- 
cepted a call to New York city, Rev. Charles Gr. Fin- 
ney preached for six months, beginning early in Sep- 
tember, 1830, with abundant results in addition to 
membership and strength. In May, 1831, Rev. Luke 
Lyons was called to the pastorate, but remained a 
short time, when he and a large number withdrew and 
organized a Free Church on the corner of Court and 
Stone streets. After the dismission of Mr. Lyons,, 
Rev. Mr. (now Dr.) W. C. Wisner, of Lockport, was 
called to the pastorate, but left after a brief service. 
Then came a period of depression threatening the very 
life of the organization. A few remained firm and. 
hopeful. These held occasional service in the old. 
Methodist church on St. Paul street, south of the 
present theatre, and in the Scotch church on the cor- 
ner of Stillson and Main streets, waiting the indica- 
tion of the Divine will. It was in the year 1834 that 
Rev. William Mack, then on his way to Canada, ac- 
cepted an invitation to pass a few Sabbaths here,, 
which resulted in his assuming the pastorate, the place- 
of worship being the upper room of the old High, 



34 CHrECHES OF EOCHESTER. 

School house, which then stood on the site now occupied 
by the present imposing church edifice. For five years 
(February, 1835, to June, 1839), Mr. Mack ministered 
with much ability and usefulness, when he resigned, 
and now resides in Columbia, Tennessee. The con- 
gregation then erected a small stone structure on the 
south side of Main street, which was subsequently 
enlarged and beautified, but was finally destroyed by 
fire in the autumn of 1858. On the first Sabbath of 
February, 1840, Rev. (now Dr.) Albert G. Hall com- 
menced his labors, which have extended to the present 
time, and during whose ministry about nine hundred 
have been added to the church, one-half or more upon 
profession of their faith. The Sabbath school has been 
a nursery indeed, fifteen preachers of the Gospel hav- 
ing gone from it, through the church, into the minis- 
try, twelve of whom are now living and three are 
deceased ; one was a foreign missionary. 

The present edifice, after plans by Upjohn, of New 
York, was erected in the year 1859, at an expense of 
about $38,000. The nineteen persons constituting the 
membership in 1826 have arisen to four hundred, with 
two hundred and fifty in the Sabbath school, and other 
elements indicating prosperity. In his ' ' Twenty-fifth 
Anniversary Sermon," delivered January 29, 1865, 
the pastor speaks of losses by death of such persons 
as Messrs. JosiahBissell,Jr.,George A. Hollister, Selah 
Matthews, a model elder, " Father" Albee. J.W.Smith, 
M.D., " the beloved physician" ; Abijah Gould, Piatt 
Starr, father of Hon. Frederick Starr ; David Scoville, 
■" Father" Eli Stillson, Asahel Fitch, Joseph Combs, 
Dr. Moses Long, U. G. Squier, Munn Morgan, John S. 



CHTTKCHES OF ROCHESTER. 35 

Allen, James Hair, Alvin S. French, Virgil Chitten- 
den, William Cogswell, John C. Merrill', George Clark, 
Deacon Isaac Hobbie, Mr. Crittenden, Mr. Granger, 
Anson House, Rev. Charles Ray, for many years a 
missionary in India, and father of Rev. Charles Ray 
of Wyoming ; Hon. W. C. Bloss, with many wives, 
mothers and sisters, who having finished the work 
given them to do have ascended to their heavenly 
home. "Their works do follow them, and their mem- 
ory is blessed." 

This church has recently sustained no ordinary loss 
in the death of Mr. Emmet H. Hollister, son of one of 
the founders. 

PASTORS. 

Rev. Joel Parker, D.D., was born in Bethel, Vt., in 
1799 ; studied at Hamilton college and Auburn sem- 
inary ; accepted a call as first pastor of the Third 
church of Rochester, upon a salary of "a half of 
brother Josiah Bissell's biscuit, as long as he had 
one," or more financially expressed, $130 for the first 
six months, and $800 per annum afterwards. After a 
two years' pastorate, he was induced, after much so- 
licitation, to remove to New York and commence 
a new enterprise in that city. Having labored there 
with great energy and success for four years, he went 
to New Orleans as pastor of the First Presbyterian 
church of that southern metropolis, but returned to 
New York and assumed charge of the Broadway 
Tabernacle in 1838, during which time he acted as 
president of the Union Theological seminary, then re- 



36 CHUEOIIES OF ROCHESTER. 

cently established. In 1842 lie removed to Philadel- 
phia, Pa., as pastor of the Clinton street church, and 
back to New York, as successor of the Rev. Dr. Erskine 
Mason, on Bleecker street, in 1842. The year 1862 
found him pastor of the Park street church of Newark, 
which ill health compelled him to resign, but in which 
city he now resides. Few ministers of Christ spent 
thirty-five years of more abundant labor and ample 
success and large repute than did Dr. Parker between 
1827 and 1862. He will long live in the esteem and 
gratitude of many hearts. 

Rev. Luke Lyons came to the " village" from Court- 
land, in 1831, remaining for a few months in charge of 
the Third, and then of a new organization on Court 
street, till about 1845, when he went to Illinois, and 
died. 

Rev. William Mack, D.D., came to this city from 
the seminary at Princeton ; served the church with 
ability for two years, and went south, where he now 
resides, in Columbia, Tenn. 

Pev. William Carpenter Wisner, D.D., is a native 
of Elmira, N. Y., and a graduate of Union college. 
He studied theology with his father; William Wisner, 
D.D., for many years pastor of the Presbyterian 
church at Ithaca, and for a time of the Brick church 
of this city. He took charge of the Third church in 
1832, but resigned in two years, on account of ill 
health, and has since ministered to the First church of 
Lockport. It was during Dr. Wisner' s pastorate here 
that the cholera prevailed in the city with such sad 
results. The illness of Drs. Penny and Wisner, Sr., 
threw upon the young pastor an amount of labor and 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 37 

care beyond the endurance of one not of sturdiest 
frame. Dr. Wisner often preaches in the city, and 
always with acceptance and usefulness. 

Rev. Albert Gallatin Hall, D.D., was born in White- 
hall, Washington county, N. Y. ; after coining to this 
city, became a member of the Third Presbyterian 
church ; pursued his classical studies principally in 
private, with a brief term at the collegiate institution, 
and his theological at home after his day's labor as 
printer and editor of a weekly journal, in support of 
his family ; was licensed to preach July 1, 1835 ; min- 
istered to a church in Penfield, N. Y. ; became pastor 
of the Third in February, 1840, which position he still 
holds with rare ability, universal esteem, and power- 
ful influence for good in his parish and region. A 
character formed under circumstances like those re- 
ferred to must be of a nature to make itself felt. Dr. 
Hall is no ordinary man in thought and power. 

S. S. SUPERIjSTEjS'DENTS. 

The superintendents of the Sabbath school have 
been, Josiah Bissell, Jr., Salmon Scofield, Albert G. 
Hall (now pastor), Joseph B. Bloss, Samuel W. Lee, 
Selah Matthews, Jonathan Copeland (now Rev.), John 
G. Parker, William Shepherd, C. C. Colt, George A. 
Hollister, Joseph D. Husbands, John Graves, Ira 
Belden, Charles Ray (now Rev.) William T. Cushing, 
William J. Armitage, Emmet H. Hollister, Jesse 
Shepherd, David H. Little, and Manly D. Rowley. 



38 CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

MEMBERS OF THIS CHURCH WHO HAVE ENTERED 
THE MINISTRY. 

Rev. Albert Gr. Hall, D.D., now in the thirty-first 
year of his pastorate. 

Rev. Hezekiah Pierrepont, in Rochester. 

Rev. Richard DeForest, in Rochester 

Rev. T. Reaves Chipman, deceased. 

Rev. Samuel M. Bayliss, Darlington, Md. 

Rev. Jonathan Copeland. 

Rev. Charles Ray, Wyoming, 1ST. Y. 

Rev. Gavin Longmuir. 

Rev. Charles W. Wood, Oakneld, K. Y. 



szTMMAftr, jzrzr /, ?87f* 

Pastor—'Rev. Albert G. Hall, D.D. 

Elders — Messrs. Nathaniel Hay ward, William Shep- 
herd, Thomas B. Hnsbands, Ira Cook, John Yoorhees, 
Joseph Harris, William F. Cogswell. 

Deacons — Messrs. James Young, Storrs Hayward, 
John Ever shed. 

Trustees — W. J. Armitage, Edward Harris, W. Gr. 
Watson, D. P. Allen, B. P. Robinson,. M. D. Rowley, 
A. Reynolds, J. Gr. Luitwiler, Peter Schenck. 

S. S. Superintendent — M. D. Rowley. 

S. 8. Scholars— -250. 

Communicants — 400. 



CENTRAL CHURCH. 



In March, 1836, several members of the First Pres- 
byterian church met to discuss the expediency of es- 
tablishing another evangelical church within the limits 
of the city. After much prayer and consultation, it 
was unanimously resolved, ' ' That the present circum- 
stances of Rochester call for the establishment of 
another church within its limits." 

The distinguishing characteristics of this new enter- 
prise were declared to be: 1st. It was to be a mis- 
sionary church, established upon principles of high 
christian consecration and devotedness. 2d. A free 
church, embracing a Bethel interest. 3d. Open for 
free discussion on all subjects of morals, etc., such as 
temperance, slavery, etc. 4th. Its secular as well as 
its religious affairs to be in the hands of the church 
exclusively. 

In August, 1836, thirty-nine persons, members of the 
First church, were organized by the Presbytery of 
Rochester, under the name of the ' i Bethel Presbyterian 
church of Rochester." Their names were Michael B. 
Bateham, Preston, Eunice, Henry F., William P. and 
Elvira N. Smith, Joseph Farley, Theodore B. and 
Julia M. Hamilton, Joseph, Nancy and Newell A. 



40 CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

Stone, Mary Jane Porter, Thomas Adams, William S. 
Bishop, G-eorge A. and Frances Avery, Richard P. 
and Mary P. Wilkins, Spencer l)avis, Ebenezer and 
Polly Knapp, Appollos Lnce, Anrelia S. Adams, 
Mary M. Cook, Eliza Davis, John F. Bush, John 
Bid en, Jr., Walter S., Henry D. and Elizabeth S. 
Griffith, William and Lydia Cook, Josiah and Mary 
Newell, John and Lonisa Stitt, Lydia and Fanny E. 
Hatch. Of these original thirty-nine founders, fif- 
teen are still living, seven are residents of the city, and 
and three are in communion with the church, viz: 
Henry F. and Elvira H". Smith and Joseph Stone. 
The first bench of elders were Messrs. George A. 
Avery (deceased), Walter S. Griffith (of Brooklyn), 
and Preston Smith (deceased). 

A substantial stone edifice was erected, during the 
fall and winter, on Washington street, adjacent to the 
Erie canal, costing $15,000. 

The Rev. George S. Boardman was installed as first 
pastor October 19, 1837, and resigned July, 1842. His 
pastoral and Sabbath school labors were so greatly 
Messed of God that the little band became two hun- 
dred and fifty strong. In February, 1842, Re7. Charles 
G. Finney, of Oberlin, Ohio, assisted the pastor in a 
series of meetings, which resulted in the hopeful con- 
Tersion of three hundred and fifty persons, many of 
whom ranked as our most influention citizens. These 
united with the following churches : St. Luke' s, 
Episcopal, 75 ; First Presbyterian, 24 ; Brick, Pres- 
byterian, 89 ; Third Presbyterian, 20 ; Washington 
street, Presbyterian, 16 ; First Baptist, 12 ; Methodist, 
two churches, 115. 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 41 

In 1841 the name of the church was changed from 
Bethel Free church to that of the Washington street 
church. 

In March, 1843, the church withdrew from the Pres- 
bytery and became independent, so continuing till 
1844, when it resumed its former ecclesiastical position. 

Between July, 1842, and February, 1845, the church 
being without a pastor, the pulpit was supplied by 
Rev. John T. Avery, Rev. Bassett, Rev. G. H. R, 
Shumway, Rev. Fred. W. Graves, and Rev. Parsons 
C. Hastings. This was a period of declension, and 
the membership sank to two hundred and three mem- 
bers, of whom fifty were non-residents. 

During August, 1844, a colony, consisting of ten 
heads of families with their households, responded to 
the Macedonian cry, and with noble generosity left 
the Brick church to join this ; thus adding greatly to 
our working material, especially in the Sabbath school. 

The Rev. Milo J. Hickok, D.D., was installed as 
second pastor, February 25, 1845, resigning March 15, 
1854. These were years of growth and general pros- 
perity. The early missionary spirit was revived and 
much strengthened by an admirable course of ad- 
dresses delivered by the pastor, assisted by maps, 
some of which were prepared by his own hands. This 
had much to do with sending two female missionaries 
to foreign lands. 

Rev. Frank F. Ellinwood, D.D., was installed as 
third pastor January 9, 1855, resigning January 24, 
1866, much to the regret of the people, who voted him 
$100 per month for a year. Ill health was the sole but 
imperative cause. 



42 CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER, 

The congregation continued to worship on Wash- 
ington street till the completion of their new and com- 
modious edifice on Sophia street, which was dedicated 
April 8, 1858. This was a marked event in the history 
of the church, not only on account of the change of 
name from Washington street church to Central Pres- 
byterian church, but more by the evident blessing of 
God, in things temporal and spiritual, from year to 
year. Several revivals occurred, the most abundant 
in results being under the labors of Rev. E. P. Ham- 
mond, when large accessions were made, especially 
from the youth. 

Rev. Samuel M. Campbell, D.D., the fourth pastor 
and present incumbent, was installed June 14, 1866. 

A vigorous mission Sabbath school, panted and 
sustained b # y this church for more than ten years, on 
West avenue, was, on the 11th of April, 1868, setoff 
as a separate organization, under the title of the West- 
minster church of Rochester, with eighty-two mem- 
bers, all of whom were from the parent body. 

In the year 1869 another mission school was estab- 
lished on Lake avenue, which has now about two 
hundred scholars, with a hopeful future, under the 
efficient superintendence of Mr. William A. Hubbard, 
an elder of the church, aided by a corps of teachers 
of great earnestness and devotion. 

PASTORS. 

Rev. George Smith Boardman, D.D., is a native of 
Albany, N. Y., and a graduate of Union college and 
of Princeton seminary. Having spent sixteen years 



CHUECHES OF ROCHESTER. 43 

as pastor of the First church in Watertown, N.Y., he 
removed to Rochester in 1837, and became pastor of 
the Central till 1842. when he resigned and assumed a 
pastorate at Cherry Valley, and then at Cazenovia. 
Ill health has required a relinquishment of a pastor- 
ate, though still preaching with frequency, supplying 
the church at Ogdensburgh during the absence in 
Europe of their pastor, Dr. L. M. Miller. 

Rev. Milo Judson Hickok, D.T)., was born at New 
.Haven, Yt. ; graduated at Middlebury college and 
Union seminary, ~N. Y.; came to Rochester in 1845, 
where he labored with great energy for nine years, and 
then went to Scranton, Pa., where he was pastor for 
fourteen years, when a stroke of paralysis disabled 
him for further public work, and he is spending his 
last days at Marietta, Ohio. 

Rev. Frank Field Ellin wood, D.D., was born in 
Clinton, 1ST. Y. ; studied at Hamilton college and at 
both Auburn and Princeton seminaries ; was settled 
at Belvidere, N. Y., from whence he came to Roches- 
ter in November, 1854, where he remained till 1865, 
when ill health compelled him to leave a devoted 
people, among whom he had labored with great ac- 
ceptance and success for eleven years. Returning 
from a long tour abroad, he assumed the secretaryship 
of the Church Erection committee, which he held till 
the re-union. He had charge of the $5,000,000 memo- 
rial fund, upon completing which he became co-secre- 
tary of the Board of Foreign Missions, having declined 
a professorship in the Theological seminary at Pitts- 
burgh, to which he had been elected. 

Rev. Samuel M. Campbell, D.D., was born in Camp- 



44 CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER, 

belltown, Steuben county, N. Y. ; pursued his classical 
studies privately, and his theological at Auburn. His 
first ministerial charge was at Parr's Hill ; his second 
(a year), at Dansville ; his third, at Utica (Westmin- 
ster), from whence he came to Rochester, March 1, 
1866. 

ELDERS. 

George A. Avery, Walter S. Griffith, Preston Smith 
(deceased), ordained 1836 ; Philip Thurber, 1838 ; Cal- 
vin H. Hamilton (deceased), William S. Bishop (de- 
ceased), 1841 ; Charles Freeman (deceased), 1844 ; 
William Ailing, Lyman Cook, 1845 ; John G. Dabney 
(deceased), Solon C. Avery (deceased), Orlando Hast- 
ings (deceased), 1848 ; Frederick Starr (deceased), 1845; 
John N. Harder, 1856 ; Steuben S. Forbes, 1865 ; Elias 
Child, George W. Parsons, Henry Churchill, 1860; 
Frederick W. Dewey, William A. Hubbard, David A. 
Baldwin, M.D., and Lewis A. Ailing, 1865. 

Whole number of persons admitted to this church 
since its formation in 1836, 1775 ; of this number, 811 
were upon profession of their faith (631 from the Sab- 
bath school), and 964 by letter. 

MINISTERS AND MISSIONARIES FROM THIS CHURCH. 

Rev. C. W. Torrey. 

Rev. Frederick J. Jackson, at Tarry town, N. Y. 
Rev. Dillis D. Hamilton, at Pompeii, Mich. 
Rev. George S. Bishop, at Newburgh, N. Y. 
Rev. Willis C. Gaylord, at Ossian, N. Y. 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 45 

Miss Fanny M. Nelson (Mrs. S. McKinney), South 
Africa. 

Miss Isabella J. Atwater (Mrs. M. White), China. 

Miss Hattie Seymor, East Turkey. 

Miss Carrie E. Bush (daughter of Rev. Charles P. 
Bush, D.D.), East Turkey. 

SABBATH SCHOOL. 

The Bethel Sabbath school of the city of Rochester 
was organized August 12, 1836, the first session being 
in the Crane school house, on the north side of Buffalo 
street, between Sophia and Washington streets. Pres- 
ent at the organization, Messrs. W. S. Griffith, Wil- 
liam Cook, William S. Bishop, John Stitt, Josiah 
Newell, Preston Smith, Theodore B. Hamilton, Joseph 
Farley, John F. Bush, John Biden, Jr., Richard P. 
Wilkin s, and M. B. Bateham, with Mrs. William 
Cook, T. B. Hamilton, Joseph Stone, and Misses 
Fiances Hatch and Naomi Davis — in all eighteen. 
Of these there are now living, Messrs. Griffith, Bate- 
ham, Farley, Bush, and H. A. Brewster. Of the 
twenty-six scholars present at the first session, two 
are now connected with the school, viz : Mr. Henry F. 
Smith, secretary and treasurer, and his sister, Mrs. 
Elvira Smith Allen, a teacher. 

The superintendents have been, W. S. Griffith, 
1833-9 ; William S. Bishop, 1839-42 ; George W. Par- 
sons, 1812 to 1871, less one year on account of sick- 
ness, and who is now in his twenty-eighth year of 
service. 

Average attendance of scholars during thirty-four 



46 CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

years, 253 ; average attendance of teachers during 
thirty-four years, 42. Added io the church, of schol- 
ars, during thirty-four years, 631. Enlistments dur- 
ing the late war, from the Sabbath school, 110 — of 
whom fifteen are known to have died on the field or 
in the hospital. The missionaries before named were 
teachers in the Sabbath school. 

The Young People's Missionary Society, organized 
in 1846, and lately re-organized, is doing a noble work 
in city, home, and foreign missions. Contributions 
to various benevolent objects have come largely from 
the Sabbath school. 

BENEVOLENCE. 

The first decade was a season of planting, of church 
building, etc. ; hence the amounts paid to outside ob- 
jects were small. 

First Decade. 
From August 1, 1836, to January 1, 1847: 



Foreign missions, $378 73 

Home " 411 76 

Miscellaneous objects, 692 10 

$1,482 59 

Second Decade. 
January 1, 1847, to January 1, 1857: 

Foreign missions, $2,767 64 

Home " 1,841 82 

Miscellaneous objects, 4,486 54 

$9,096 00 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 47 

Third Decade. 
January 1, 1857, to January 1, 1867 : 

Foreign missions, $8,312 91 

Home " 4,572 cS 

Miscellaneous objects, 29,239 40 

842,154 87 

Fourth Decade {one-half). 

January 1, 1867, to January 1, 1871 : 

Foreign mission?, $4,938 50 

Home " 8336 84 

Miscellaneous objects. 11.000 10 

$24,875 44 

!New place of worship in 1858, $41,000, less 

by $8.6)0, avails of the old, $32,400 

Missions chapel in 1860-1, 3,000 

Organ, 5,000 

SUMMAItr, JULT 1, 787/ . 

Pastor— Rex. Samuel S. Campbell, D.D. 

Elders — Messrs. William Ailing, John N. Harder, 
Steuben S. Forbes, George W. Parsons, Henry Church- 
ill, Frederick W. Dewey, William A. Hubbard, Lewis 
H. Ailing. 

Trustees — Messrs. George W. Parsons, William A. 
Hubbard, H. Austin Brewster, Lewis H. Ailing, Wil- 
liam S. Ailing, Herbert Churchill. Henry F. Smith, 
A. M. Hastings, and Samuel Sloan. 

S. S. Superintendent — George W. Parsons. 

No. of ScJwlars— 775. 

Church Communicants — 700. 



CALVARY CHURCH. 



Early in the year 1847, Rev. Richard DeForest pur- 
chased a lot in the south-east part of the city, on 
which lie erected a small building, containing one 
room, and then went through the neighborhood in- 
forming the residents that a Sabbath school would be 
commenced on the next Lord's day morning, followed 
by preaching in the afternoon. Forty scholars were 
present at the former service, and a crowd at the latter. 
This occurred on the 12th of December, 1847. Special 
religious interest was soon manifest, which resulted in 
a considerable ingathering of converts, thus prepar- 
ing the way for a formal ecclesiastical organization on 
the 26th of March, 1848, under the name of the St. 
Paul street Congregational church. The sermon was 
preached by Rev. Henry E. Peck, pastor of the State 
street Congregational church, and twenty-six persons 
enrolled themselves as members in full communion. 
In the May following a church edifice was begun on 
the corner of South avenue and Jefferson street, which, 
after months of effort made by Mr. DeForest in ob- 
taining funds, was completed and dedicated to the 
worship of God, November 3, 1850 ; the sermon being 
preached by President Mahan, of Oberlin, Ohio. 



CHUKCHES OF BOCHESTER. 49 

The ecclesiastical relations and forms of worship 
were Congregational, and so continued until another 
church of the same denomination, and other causes, 
so affected the finances that a sale of the property be- 
came imperative. It was purchased by L. A. Ward, 
Esq., with a view of its becoming Presbyterian, which 
has been the case ever since. 

The Presbytery of Rochester city (old school), at 
their stated spring meeting in 1856, appointed a com- 
mittee, consisting of Revs. A. G. Hall, D.D., J. H. Mc- 
Ilvaine, D.D., R. H. Richardson, and James Harkness, 
and Elders L. A. Ward, W. T. Cushing, and Benton. 
This committee met on the 15th day of June, 1856, in 
what was known as South St. Paul street Congrega- 
tional church, where, with others, the following per- 
sons were assembled, and presented to the committee 
letters of membership and dismission from their re- 
spective churches, with the view of being constituted 
into a new church, namely : 

From the Third Presbyterian church — William Steb- 
bins, Eliza B. Stebbins, William T. dishing, Arabella 
Cushing, Olive Howes, Helen M. Howes, J. G. StothofF, 
Henrietta Dempsey, Hannah Ray, Mercy Ingraham. 

From the St. Paul street Congregational church — 
Elizabeth Blum, Eliza Barrett, James Barton, Charles 
Barton, James Gr. Badger, Catharine Badger. 

These sixteen persons were in the usual way consti- 
tuted into a new and independent ecclesiastical organ- 
ization, to be named and known as the Calvary Pres- 
byterian church of Rochester. 

At the same time William Stebbins and William T. 



50 CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

CusMng were elected and installed ruling elders in the 
infant church. 

Few in number and feeble in resources, this little 
company, like the crew of a little boat launched upon 
the open sea, embarked with fear and trembling upon 
their new career. They had not assembled, however, 
many weeks, when they resolved to call and settle 
over them a pastor of their own. Accordingly on the 
30th of July of the same year, they extended a call to 
Rev. Charles Ray, which was accepted. Mr. Ray en^ 
tered the field with zeal and energy, and continued his 
pastoral labors among them until August 15th, 1858, 
when a variety of circumstances concurred to decide 
him that it was his duty to resign and leave. 

Though now considerably increased in numbers, 
yet many were the discouragements and difficulties 
which visited this little church at this time. The pul- 
pit, however, continued to be supplied by Rev. F. 
De W. Ward, D.D., of Geneseo, Rev. J. Nichols, Rev. 
W. Howell Taylor, and others, till in April, 1860, they 
again rallied and united in calling for their pastor Rev. 
Bellville Roberts. Mr. Roberts manfully faced the 
difficulties before him. During his ministry many 
were added to the church, and through his untiring 
efforts the entire debt on the house of worship was 
wiped off. Still the society was pecuniarily weak, and 
it was found difficult to meet the necessary expenses, 
notwithstanding that a certain amount of aid was ob- 
tained from the B. of D. M. Owing to this and to the 
declining health of his wife, Mr. Roberts resolved to 
resign and remove west, which he did after a pastorate 
of some four years. 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 51 

Once more the little flock found themselves without 
a shepherd ; but Providence did not forsake them. 
Their minds ere long were directed to Rev. Alfred 
Yeomans, who was earnestly invited to come and take 
the oversight of them. He consented ; and from his 
amiable character, intellectual ability, and particular- 
ly from his relationship to Dr. Yeomans, pastor of the 
St. Peter's church, being his brother, great hopes were 
entertained for Calvary ; the day of its deliverance 
from toil and peril and privations of its pilgrimage 
through the wilderness was deemed near at hand. 
Mr. Yeomans, however, much to their grief, con- 
tinued among them but for one brief year, and even 
during that brief period his labors were sadly inter- 
rupted once and again by ill health. He left in the 
fall of 1866. 

While passing through these repeated changes and 
trials, this congregation was much burdened and 
harassed by city taxation. Situated upon a corner, it 
had been subject to double charges for gradings, sew- 
ers and sidewalks, which brought in a series of heavy 
bills, and the end of this is not yet. What would 
have been in this way a light matter to an old and 
strong church society, was found and felt here to be a 
burden heavy to be borne. To meet these onerous 
obligations, many have been the sacrifices silently and 
cheerfully made, which are worthy to be reckoned 
with the widow' s offering, that drew forth the Saviour' s 
high commendation. 

After Rev. Mr. Yeomans' departure, the desk was 
supplied by different individuals for several months, 
till in the following winter the society once more unit- 



52 CHURCHES OF EOCHESTER. 

ed in a call to Rev. H. W. Morris, which lie accepted, 
but did not regularly enter upon his pastoral duties 
■until March 17, 1867. Mr. Morris remains the pastor 
to the present day, and by the blessing ol God upon 
his pulpit and pastoral labors, the church has made, 
though not rapid, yet steady progress. In the winter 
of 1869 a very precious visitation of grace was enjo} T ed, 
there being among those received at one communion 
ten heads of families. During his ministry, as the 
sessional records exhibit, the membership has been 
nearly doubled, the general congregation much in- 
creased and established in its character, so that the 
church to-day occupies a position in the public esti- 
mation far in advance of what it ever did before. The 
corner-stone of a reconstructed church has lately been 
laid. 

PASTORS. 

Rev. Richard DeForest, a native of New York 
city, is of French descent, his ancestor two centuries 
back being a refugee to New Amsterdam (now New 
York). After a course of classical and theological 
instruction under Prof. F. N. Benedict, and at Auburn 
seminary, Mr. DeForest labored as an evangelist in 
this State and at the west till he returned and was first 
pastor of St. Paul street Congregational church. He 
now resides in the city. 

Rev. Charles Ray, son of Rev. Edward and Sarah 
Ray, was born at Calcutta, India, in 1829 ; accom- 
panied his parents to this country in 1839 ; became a 
member of the Third Presbyterian church (Dr. A. G. 
Hall, pastor) ; pursued his education at Union college 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 53 

and Princeton Theological seminary ; held ministerial 
charges at Piffard, Seneca Falls, Calvary church, 
Rochester, was Principal of Geneseo academy, and 
was pastor of a church in the pleasant village of 
Wyoming, which he recently left on account of ill 
health, having served with eminent ability and useful- 
ness. 

Rev. Bellville Roberts spent four years of earnest 
effort in the pastorate of this church, witnessing 
many results of his ministry, and then removed to 
Wheeling, Va., where he now resides. He was an 
able and faithful preacher. 

Rev. Alfred Yeomans, a native of N. Adams, Mass., 
and son of Rev. Dr. John W. Yeomans, moderator of 
general assembly in 1860, was educated at Princeton 
college and seminary ; ministered to churches at 
New Hampton, N. J., Rochester (Calvary), Bellefonte, 
Penn., and now at Orange, 1ST. J., as successor of his 
brother, Rev. E. D. Y r eomans, D.D., formerly of St. 
Peter 1 s. Ill health compelled these frequent changes, 
always to the regret of the people whom he ably and 
usefully served. 

Rev. Henry W. Morris is a native of Wales ; was 
educated in England, and has passed his ministerial 
life in America. His first pastorate was a Presbyterian 
church at Martinburgh, Lewis county, N. Y. ; his sec- 
ond at Little Falls. He took charge of Calvary church 
in 1867, where he is meeting his duties with great satis- 
faction in a section of the city demanding much labor 
and patience. 



54 CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

summary, jzrzr 1, ?87f. 

Pastor — Rev. Henry W. Morris. 

Elders — Messrs. William Stebbins, David L. Hunn, 
and F. S. Stebbins. 

Deacons — None. 

Trustees — Messrs. F. S. Stebbins, Thomas S. Oliver, 
Judson Knickerbocker, D. L. Hnnn, and C. B. Corser. 

S. S. Superintendent — J. R. Reeves. 

S. S. Pupils— 70. 

Total Member slap— 118. 



SAINT PETEE'S CHUKCH. 



In May, 1852, a well known citizen of Rochester, 
then a member of the First Presbyterian chnrch, com- 
menced the construction of a new church edifice upon 
a lot of land owned by him on Grove street. The lo- 
cation was central to a large American population 
with no place of worship. His desire was to supply 
this imperative demand by the organization of a new 
Presbyterian church, and with an order of worship 
which should more fully develop the united devotion 
of the whole congregation than is now customary in 
churches of that denomination. 

On the 7th of June, 1852, the corner-stone of Saint 
Peter's was laid by Rev. J. H. Mcllvaine, D.D., of the 
First church, with an appropriate address ; other parts 
of the service being taken by Rev. Messrs. Hill and 
Ward of the Presbyterian, Rev. W. H. Goodwin, 
D.D., of the Methodist Episcopal, Rev. Mr. Howard 
of the Baptist, and Rev. Dr. Chester Dewey of the 
Congregational churches. The edifice was completed 
at an expense of $35,000, and dedicated on the 25th of 
October, 1853 ; the sermon being preached by Rev. 
Dr. Mcllvaine, and other parts conducted by Rev. A. 
G. Hall, D.D., Rev. F. DeW. Ward, D.D., of Gen- 



56 CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

eseo, and other clergymen. The first Sabbath service 
was held October 3, 1853, the sermon being preached 
by Rev. Dr. Huntington, then of Albany and now of 
Auburn Theological seminary. 

The order of public service then adopted, and main- 
tained to the present time, with slight changes, is as 
follows : 

1. Salutation and doxology. 

2. Profession of faith, in the use of the Apostles' 
Creed, by minister and people. 

8. Invocation, and the Lord's Prayer, the people 
joining in the latter. 

4. Reading the Ten Commandments, with a response 
by the choir. 

5. Invitation, and confession of sin. 

6. Hymn. 

7. Reading the Scriptures. 

8. Anthem. 

9. Reading Psalter by minister and people respons- 
ively. 

10. Hymn. 

11. General prayer. 

12. Anthem. 

13. Sermon. 

14. Closing prayer (brief). 

15. Doxology. 

16. Benediction. 

The above is the order of morning service : the 
evening service is slightly different, as also on special 
occasions. A Book of Worship is used by minister 
and congregation, containing the order of service. 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 57 

both general and special ; the chants and anthems be- 
ing generally sung by the choir, and hymns by the 
choir and people. The officiating minister wears the 
ordinary black gown and the bands in conducting all 
the services. No form of prayer is used except the 
Lord' s Prayer. 

A record has been kept of every Sabbath service 
since the opening of the house, which contains the 
names of two hundred and forty-nine clergymen, of 
whom eleven were ex-Moderators of the Presbyterian 
General Assembly s. 

On the 13th of December, 1853, a special meeting of 
the Presbytery of Rochester city (old school) was held 
at the chapel of Saint Peter' s, at which the following 
persons presented certificates of dismission from the 
various churches mentioned, and were constituted by 
Presbytery "The Saint Peter's Presbyterian church 
of the city of Rochester." 

Levi A., Harriet, Mary E. and William H. Ward, 
Lorenzo D. and Caroline C. Ely, Lowell and Chloe 
Bullen, Mrs. Susan W. Selden, Miss Ellen M. Kemp, 
Miss Jane Bradbury, and Mrs. Emily Chumasero, 
from the First Presbyterian church of Rochester ; 
Br. John F. and Elizabeth A. Whitbeck, from the 
Brick church ; Edward A. and Eugenie C. Raymond, 
Samuel B. and Harriet M. Raymond, Mrs. Caroline 
E. McAlpine, and Mrs. Caroline B. Dwindle, from the 
Third church ; James, Mrs. Resinah and Miss Ann 
E. Murray, from Washington street church ; Mrs. 
Betsey L. Oothout, from the Presbyterian church at 
Holley, 1ST. Y. ; Mrs. Emily R. Beckwith, from Saint 
John's Methodist Episcopal church, Rochester ; Mrs. 



08 CHURCHES OF EOCHESTER. 

Mary Ann Holyland, from Free Baptist church, 
Rochester ; John S. and Chloe Dean, from Congrega- 
tional church, Armsville. 

Of the twenty-eight founders of Saint Peter' s, eleven 
are still members of this church. At this first meet- 
ing an election of officers was held, which resulted in 
the unanimous choice of Messrs. L. A. Ward and Ed- 
ward A. Raymond as elders, their ordination taking 
place on the first Sabbath of January, 1854 ; Rev. A. 
G. Hall, D.D., by appointment of Presbytery, con- 
ducting the services, which were preceded by a sermon 
from Rev. Dr. Mcllvaine. 

Edward A. Raymond was chosen clerk and treasu- 
rer of session on the 12th of December, 1853, and has 
so continued to the present time, with the exception 
of three years, when he was absent from the city. 

PASTORS AND STATED SUPPLIES. 

Rev. John T. Coit was stated supply from Septem- 
ber 3, 1854, to January 7, 1855. 

Rev. Leonard W. Bacon was stated supply from 
March 25, 1855, to September 16, 1855. 

Rev. Richard H. Richardson was installed first 
pastor June 10, 1856 (sermon by Rev. Dr. Hall), and 
resigned November 30, 1857. 

Rev. Everard Kempshall was stated supply from 
December 23, 1857, to May 16, 1858. 

Rev. Joseph H. Towne, D.D., was installed second 
pastor October 28, 1858 (sermon by Rev. Dr.McHvaine), 
and resigned March 9, 1860. 

Rev. John T. Coit was installed as third pastor 



CHUKCHES OF EOCHESTER. 59 

(sermon by Kev. William James, D.D., of Albany) 
Jnne 3, 1860, and died at Albion January 23, 1863. 

Rev. E. D. Yeomans, D.D., was installed fourth 
pastor June 7, 1863 (sermon by Rev. Dr. Hall), and 
resigned, on account of failing health, April 28, 1867. 
He died at Orange, K J., August, 1869. 

Rev. James M. Crowell, D.D., was installed fifth 
pastor May 16, 1869 (sermon by Rev. Dr. Hall), and 
resigned December 6, 1870. 

The church is now without a pastor. 

ELDEES. 

Messrs. Levi A. Ward and Edward A. Raymond 
were elected at the organization of the church, and are 
still in office. Messrs. William Slocomb and Hiram 
Banker were elected November 10, 1858. The former, 
now in his ninetieth year, is too much of an invalid to 
leave his home ; the latter died September 22, 1864. 
Mr. Jerome B. Stillson was ordained and installed 
August 3, 1860 ; and Mr. David A. Mitchell April 24, 
1864, and died June 22, 1866. Messrs. Jonathan E. 
Pierpont and Marcus K. Woodbury were ordained 
and installed July 24, 1870. 

DEACONS. 

Messrs. Joseph B. Ward and Marcus K. Woodbury 
were ordained and installed March 13, 1869. Mr. 
Woodbury having been elected a ruling elder, the 
active duties of the office are performed by Mr. Ward. 



60 CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

TRUSTEES. 

The first elected were Messrs. Samuel L. Selden, 
Josiah W. Bissell, Charles H. Clark, B. R. Mc Alpine, 
Lorenzo D. Ely, Samuel B. Raymond, Jerome B. 
Stillson, Charles A. Jones, and Charles F. Smith. 
Subsequently there were elected Messrs. John W. 
Dwindle, Hubbard S. Allis, M. K. Woodbury, George 
P. Townsend, Joseph B. Ward, Wallace Darrow, 
Simeon L. Brewster, L. Ward Clarke, P. B. Yeile, J. 
E. Pierpont, and W. S. Kimball. 

SABBATH SCHOOL. 

Was organized December, 1853, with forty- one 
scholars. The superintendents have been Messrs. E. 
A. Raymond, until 1857 ; L. A. Ward, until 1860 ; 
Joseph B. Ward, until 1865 ; Rev. Dr. Yeomans, pas- 
tor, a few months ; J. E. Pierpont, until 1866 ; E. N. 
Hoyt, until 1868; when Mr. John W. Stebbins was 
chosen, and is now in office. The Sabbath school has 
regularly and largely contributed to the benevolent 
operations of the church. 

George Kemp Ward, a member of this Sabbath 
school and church, is now pursuing his theological 
studies at Princeton. 

CHURCH EDIFICE. 

A deed of the church property was executed and 
delivered to' the trustees by the founder March 27, 
1867. The first edifice was destroyed by fire March 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 61 

18, 1868, but was immediately rebuilt at an expense of 
about $49,000. During the interim services were held 
in Christ's church chapel (Episcopal) and Second 
Baptist church, the use of which churches had been 
tendered in a spirit of christian generosity which was 
gratefully appreciated by the afflicted parish. Wor- 
ship was resumed in the reconstructed chapel Janua- 
ry 24, 1869, and in the main audience room June 6, 1869. 

PASTORS. 

Rev. Richard EL Richardson, D.D., is a native of 
Lexington, Ky., and graduate of Princeton college 
and Theological seminary ; was pastor of the North 
Presbyterian church of Chicago, which he left to as- 
sume charge of Saint Peter' s, and after a pastorate of 
one and a half years, resigned and removed to Red- 
bank, Putnam county, N. Y., then to Newburyport, 
Mass., and thence to Trenton, N". J., where he now 
resides, as pastor of the Fourth Presbyterian church. 
A gentleman of scholarship and pulpit power, his 
ministrations have been eminently successful in the 
several places of his abode and public services. 

Rev. Joseph H. Towne, D.D., came to this city from 
Chicago ; presided over Saint Peter' s for two years, 
and left for Milwaukee, and then for Buffalo. His 
lectures on "Pilgrim's Progress" will be long remem- 
bered in this parish and in the city. 

Rev. John Townsend Coit, son of George and Han- 
nah T. Coit, was a native of Buffalo, 1ST. Y. ; a gradu- 
ate of Yale college and Andover Theological seminary. 
Returning from Germany, where he pursued his studies 



62 CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

for one and a half years at Gottingen and Halle, under 
Professor Tholuck and gifted associates, lie accepted 
a call to the Presbyterian clmrch at Albion, which po- 
sition he held for five years, commencing his ministry 
as third pastor of Saint Peter's June 1, 1860. He was 
no stranger to the people here, having acted as stated 
supply, after returning from Europe. Three years 
passed away with entire satisfaction and much profit 
to his increasingly attached parishioners, when upon 
a visit to his friends at Albion he was suddenly called 
to a higher sphere of labor and purer worship above. 
When told that he could live but a short time, he said, 
" Doctor, you surprise me ; I never dreamed of this ; 
but I can say with truth that I am ready, nay, joyous, 
to go." After some moments of rest, he asked, as in 
surprise, " Can this be death 1 Then how beautiful it 
is to die ! I already see the coming glories ! This is 
paradise ! Death has no appalling features." ' ' Doc- 
tor," said he, "is it not strange that when dying as I 
know my body is, my mind should apprehend these 
things so clearly V Well might by-standers exclaim, 

" Is that a death-bed where a christian lies ?" 
' ; Yes, but not his; 'c is death itself there dies." 

A tablet of Nova Scotia stone, placed on the right 
of the pulpit, reads thus : 

"John Townsend Coit 
Died Jan'y 23, 1863, in the 39th year of his age, and 
the third of his pastorate of this church. His life of 
faithful devotion to his work, made beautiful by a 
character of rare purity and symmetry, was crowned 
by a death of triumphant hope." 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 63 

Rev. Edward Dorr Yeomans, D.D., son of the late 
Dr. J. W. Yeomans (moderator of general assembly in 
1860), was born at North Adams, Mass.; pursued his 
classical studies at Easton, Pa., and his theological 
at Princeton ; was licensed to preach at the early age 
of seventeen and a half years ; became minister of 
churches in Warren Run, Penn., Fourth Presbyterian 
of Trenton, iST. J., and in May, 1863, assumed the 
pastorate of St. Peter's, in this city, which position 
lie held with marked ability until his removal to 
Orange, IS". J. Here he labored with whatever 
strength was given him, till August 23d, when he died 
of apoplexy. The immediate cause of his early and 
lamented death was overtasking his brain in sermon 
writing and translation of Lange's Commentary on 
John, with similar and unremitting exertion of his 
mental powers and nervous energy. As a strong think- 
er, a close student, and an accomplished scholar, Dr. 
Yeomans has had few equals. 

A beautiful tablet, in bronze — the Christmas gift of 
a parishioner — has been placed on the inner wall of 
the church on the left of the pulpit, with the follow- 
ing inscription engraved upon it in illuminated letters : 

"Edward Dorr Yeomans, D.D. 
Pastor MDCCCLXIII-LXVII. 
Learned in the Scriptures and the Fathers ; eloquent 
and faithful in his ministry ; he finished his work at 
noon-day and went to his rest August XXVII, 
MDCCCLXYIII— Aged XXXIX years." 

James M. Crowell, D.D., was born in Philadelphia ; 
made a profession of religion at the age of fourteen, 



64 CHUKCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

under the ministry of his cousin, Rev. John Crowell, 
D.D., now of Odessa, Del. ; graduated at Princeton 
college (of which he is now a trustee) and seminary ; 
has ministered at Octarara, Penn., and the Seventh 
Presbyterian church of Philadelphia, and removed to 
Rochester as pastor of Saint Peter' s from May 5, 1869, 
to December, 1870, when he returned to his native 
city to enter upon a new enterprise — the Woodland 
church, where he now resides. Laborious, earnest, 
fervent and practical, his ministry has been and is 
likely to continue successful in leading sinners to the 
Saviour and saints to higher attainments of holiness. 



SZTMM^ltr, JUZT /, 1871. 

Pastor — ■ . 

Elders— Messrs. L. A. Ward, Edward A. Ray- 
mond, William Slocomb, Jonathan E. Pierpont, and 
Marcus K. Woodbury. 

Deacon— Mr. Joseph B. Ward. 

S. S. Superintendents— Mr. John W. Stebbins and 
Mrs. John C. Chumasero. 

Number of Scholars— 383. 

Number of Church Communicants — 248. 

Trustees — Messrs. Lorenzo D. Ely, Freeman Clarke, 
John C. Chumasero, Daniel Lowry, Theodore Bacon, 
W. H. Ward, D. P. Westcott, F. B. Mitchell, and 
Abraham Bebee. 



WESTMINSTER CHURCH. 



On the 29th. of June, 1856, a Sunday school was or- 
ganized in a bnilding at the corner of West avenue 
and Prospect streets. It was sustained as a Mission 
school by the Central Presbyterian church, then un- 
der the pastorate of Rev. F. F. Eliinwood, D.D., and 
was under the care of the late William S. Bishop, 
Esq. 

About the same time, another Sunday school was 
organized in a small house — which was used a short 
time for a hotel — opposite Saint Mary's Hospital, 
West avenue, and was known as the "West End 
Sunday school." The classes, scattered throughout 
the building (one even in the pantry), were under the 
superintendence of the late Col. John H. Thompson. 

In the year 1859 a chapel was built on West avenue, 
about half way between the places where these schools 
were held, and the two were united as a Mission 
school, under the care of Central church. The first 
session of the school was held in the chapel, January 
8, 1860, William S. Bishop, Esq., conducting it. 

Mr. Ceorge W. Parsons was elected superintendent, 
and continued in charge till January 19, 1862, the 
school having a large attendance. 



66 CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

Mr. Parsons, then superintendent of three schools, 
feeling the need of relief from some of the responsi- 
bility, at this time resigned, and Mr. Henry Churchill 
was elected to fill his place, and held the office till 
April, 1868, the numbers continuing to increase till 
often four hundred were present. 

During part of the years 1861-2 Rev. Anson Grlea- 
son, for many years a successful missionary among the 
Mohicans of Connecticut, and other Indian tribes, 
labored in the vicinity and held preaching services and 
prayer meetings in the chapel. 

In October of the year 1867, the Young People's 
Missionary Society of the Central church, engaged 
Mrs. L. A. Shepard to act as a city missionary in the 
the vicinity of West avenue. Her work was very 
successful — visiting from house to house, holding re- 
ligious conversation, distributing tracts, etc. 

Prayer meetings were held at private houses, con- 
versions were numerous, and thus it seemed necessary 
that a church should be organized. 

Accordingly, On the first Sabbath in April, 1868, 
eighty-two members of the Central church, then under 
the pastorate of Rev. S. M. Campbell, D.D., request- 
ed letters, and were formerly organized as the West- 
minster Presbyterian church of Rochester, Rev. F. P. 
Ellinwood, D.D., assisting in the services of that in- 
teresting occasion. 

The colony went forth from a sense of duty, trust- 
ing in God to sustain and strengthen them. JSTor 
were they disappointed, for, as the result of a revival 
that year, not only was the number made good to the 
Central church, but the membership of the new colony 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 67 

was just doubled. The congregation and membership 
continued to increase, and the prayer meetings, of 
which five were maintained each week, were generally 
very interesting. During the summer and fall of 1870 
the church worked at a disadvantage, being engaged 
in building a new edifice. After many delays and 
some sacrifices, the building was completed and for- 
mally dedicated to the service of God, Jan. 26, 1871. 
Dr. Campbell preached the sermon, taking for his 
topic, " Tokens of prosperity." 

The Central church had shared in the support of its 
child, and had contributed handsomely toward the 
building fund, and on the night of the dedication 
came forward with large gifts to relieve the present 
necessities. The church was also the recipient of a 
fine toned memorial bell from one of the elders, and a 
handsome organ from A. Champion, Esq. 

At the end of only three years the Westminster 
church has risen from a mission chapel to a condition 
of self-reliance and self-support, with a pleasant, 
cheerful building, and beautiful Sabbath school room 
attached, a good congregation, an active, liberal mem- 
bership, and evidences of the presence of the Holy 
Spirit in their midst. 

The new church went out under the care of Rev. 
Henry Morey, who is giving his people youthful vigor 
and hearty earnestness, and whose labor has been 
very acceptable. 

ELDERS. 

The first elders were, Messrs. Truman A. Clark and 



68 CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

George M. Mitchell, with the recent addition of Mr. 
Henry G. Wood. 

PASTOE. 

Rev. Henry M. Morey was born in West Bloomfield, 
"N. Y. ; pursued his preparatory studies at Geneseo 
academy ; graduated at Union college and Princeton 
seminary ; was assistant for the winter of 1865 of the 
late Dr, J. M. Lowry, in Fort Wayne, Ind. ; supplied 
the church at Pittsford for two years, and came to 
Rochester in April, 1868. 



SZTMMjLftT, J77ZT 1, 7871. 

Pastor — Rev. Henry M. Morey. 

Elders — Truman A. Clark, Henry G. Wood, and 
George M. Mitchell. 

& S. Superintendent — Truman A. Clark. 

Number of Teachers — 43. 

Number of Scholars — 375. 

Number of Church Communicants — 180. 



THE REFORMED CHURCH. 



An organization with this official name was perfect- 
ed in the year 1835, with twenty-nine members, of 
whom the following are still in communion, viz : Mrs. 
Jane Campbell, John and Elizabeth Boyd, Mrs. Mar- 
tha Robinson, Mrs. Jane Montgomery, Mrs. Jane 
Brown, and Mr. John Lowry. The first place of meet- 
ing was the High School building, which stood on the 
site of the Third Presbyterian church, corner of Tem- 
ple and Lancaster streets. Subsequently an edifice 
was erected on the corner of Stillson and Main streets, 
which after occupancy for many years has been sold 
for business purposes, and the avails applied to erect- 
ing one larger, more attractive and commodious, on 
jSTorth St. Paul, near Andrews street. 

PASTOES. 

Rev. John Fish, of Ireland, a man of great elo- 
quence and pulpit power. He lived but a short time, 
and is buried at Mount Hope. 

Rev. C. B. McKee followed Mr. Fish, in 1835, but 
resigned in 1842, and has since deceased. His re- 
mains now repose in Mount Hope cemetery. 



70 CHTJECHES OF ROCHESTER. 

Rev. David Scott was born in a village near Glas- 
cow, Scotland ; graduated at the University of Glas- 
cow and at the Reformed Presbyterian seminary, 
Paisley, of which the late Dr. Andrew Symington was 
the distinguished professor ; came to America as a 
licensiate in 1829 ; was ordained as an evangelist in 
1832 ; was installed pastor of a church at Albany, 
N. Y., in 1836 ; assumed the pastorate of the Rochester 
congregation in 1844, as successor of Rev. Mr. McKee, 
and after a laborious and eminently successful min- 
istry, demitted his charge in 1862, though still making 
his home in the city, supplying neighboring pulpits 
and acting as professor in the Theological seminary at 
Alllegheny, Pa., till March 29, 1871, when he u fell 
asleep in Jesus," at the age of seventy-seven years. 

"Servant of Christ, well done; 

Rest from thy lov'd employ : 
The battle fought — the victory won — 

Eater thy Master's joy." 

Rev. R. D. Sproule is a native of Allegheny, Pa. ; 
a graduate of Jefferson college, and of Allegheny 
seminary. After supplying the congregation made 
vacant by the death of Rev. Mr. Scott, he was unani- 
mously called to the pastorate and installed in 1863, 
where he now labors with earnest zeal and fidelity 
among a devoted and prosperous people. 

suMMAiir, jzrzr i, ?87f. 

Pastor— Rev. R. D. Sproule. 

HJlders — Messrs. Hugh Mulholland, Robert Aiton, 
Hugh Robinson, James Campbell, and Robert Wilson, 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER, 71 

Deacons — Messrs. James Aiton, Abraham Errnessie, 
John Lowry, Thomas S. Lynn, Thomas Percey, John 
Q. Parks, Thomas A. G-ormley, and Samnel Gr. Rob- 
inson. 

S. S. Superintendent — Elder Hugh Robinson. 

No. of Scholars— 88. 

No. of Teachers — 11. 

No. of Communicants — 130. 

Note. — One young man, Rev. John Middleton, a 
member of this church, after laboring in the ministry 
at Perth, Canada, Liston, N. Y., Philadelphia, Pa., 
and Stanton, 111., has been compelled, through ill 
health, to suspend his loved employment of preach- 
ing the Gospel of Jesus to lost men. 



FIRST UNITED CHURCH. 



In the spring of 1848, Rev. John VanEaton, of the 
Associate Reformed Synod, preached three Sabbaths 
in the school house near Saint Luke's church. Ap- 
pearances being favorable, Mr. VanEaton remained 
and held divine services from August, 1848, to May, 
3849, in a school house on the corner of Troup street 
and Plymouth avenue. On the evening of September 
21, 1849, an organization was perfected under the 
title of the First Associate Reformed church of Roches- 
ter, with the following named persons as communi- 
cants : Robert Bell, Mrs. Martha Bell, Robert John- 
son, James and Eliza Reid, William and Janet R. 
Muir, John Burdock, William Hamilton, Mrs. (Rev.) 
YanEaton, William and Rachel Hart, Hannah Bud- 
dock, Jane Hamilton, Ann and Christina Semple, 
William and Catherine Gr. Fisher, Alexander and 
Mary J. Adams, Alexander and Margaret Blair, and 
Margaret Hamilton. Of these twenty-three founders, 
eight are deceased, ten removed to other places, and 
five are still in communion, viz: Robert and Mrs. 
Bell, Robert Johnson, William Hart, and Mrs. Mar- 
garet Niven. 

The first bench of elders was Messrs. William Ham- 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 73 

ilton, James Reid, William Muir, Robert Bell, and 
William Leslie. 

Rev. John YanEaton installed as iirst pastor in 
1849, remained three years, when ill health compelled 
him to resign, but not till he had seen "the work of 
the Lord prosper in his hands." 

On the morning of September 8, 1850, the lately re- 
constructed house of worship on Troup street and 
Plymouth avenue was consumed by tire, when services 
were held for four months in the school house on the 
south side of Allen street, between Fitzhugh and State, 
and subsequently in a building on the corner of Court 
and Stone streets (east side), continuing there till 1861, 
when a purchase was made of the church on Allen 
street, near Fitzhugh. 

Succeeding Rev. Mr. YanEaton was Rev. W. L. 
McAdams, who was installed June 6, 1854, and resigned 
after an acceptable and useful pastorate of two years 
and eight months. Then followed a vacancy of eight 
months, when Rev. Thomas F. Bond assumed the 
ministerial charge, and remained four years and five 
months. Two years then passed away, when the Rev. 
James P. Sankey, the present incumbent, was induct- 
ed into the pastoral office on the 30th of June, 1864 ; 
the installation services being conducted by Rev. F. 
M. Proctor, now of Ohio, Rev. J. YanEaton, of York, 
and Donald McLaren, D.D., of Geneva. Under the 
able ministrations and watchful care of their present 
accomplished, energetic, and faithful leader, this 
church is taking rank among the strong and influential 
ecclesiastical bodies of the city. 

On the 20th of May, 1868, the Associated Reformed 



74 CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

Presbyterian church, and the Associate Presbyterian 
church effected an organic union under the title of the 
' i United Presbyterian church of North America," with 
a total of seven hundred and seventeen churches, and 
five hundred and forty-one ministers. This consolida- 
tion changed the name of this body from the First 
Associate Reformed church of Rochester, to the Unit- 
ed Presbyterian church of Rochester — the name at 
the head of this chapter. 

PASTORS. 

Rev. John VanEaton, a native of Xenia, Ohio, 
and graduate of Miami university, and Oxford (A. 
R. P.) Theological university of the same State, com- 
menced his pastorate of this church in 1849, continu- 
ing until driven away by the ill health of himself and 
family. Since September 1, 1853, he has been pastor 
of a large, flourishing and influential church at York, 
Livingston county, New York. 

Rev. W. L. McAdams, pastor here for nearly three 
pears, now resides in Mercer county, Pa., having been 
obliged to cease preaching on account of ill health. 

Rev. Thomas F. Boyd, after a residence here of 
four and a half years, removed to Pennsylvania, and 
is pastor of Bethel and Beulah churches in that State. 

Rev. James P. Sankey was born in Londonderry, 
Ohio ; pursued his classical studies at Franklin college, 
and his theological at Allegheny city, Penn.; was 
licensed to preach in April, 1862, and was placed 
in charge of this church by the presbytery of Caledonia 
June 30, 1864. Mr. Sankey is junior pastor of the 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 75 

city, having entered college at fourteen years of age, 
and commenced preaching at twenty-two. 



SUMMARY, JUjOT /, /87f. 

Pastor — Eev. James P. Sankey. 

Elders — Messrs. Robert Bell, Robert Sterrett, 
Robert Johnson, and Thomas Lisle. 

S. S. Superintendent — The pastor. 

No. of Scholars— 318. 

Church Communicants — 320. 

Note. — The enlargement of the present edifice is an 
absolute necessity. The erection of a new structure 
being an event, it is hoped, not far distant. 



EPISCOPALIAN 



SAINT LUKE'S CHURCH. 



The parish of Saint Luke's was organized by the 
Rev. H. U. Onderdonk, missionary and rector of Saint 
John's church, Canandaigua, and subsequently Bishop 
of Pennsylvania, under the corporate title of Saint 
Luke' s church, Genesee Falls. The organization was 
effected on the 14th of July, 1817, in a school house 
belonging to Samuel I. Andrews, on the east side of 
the river, by the election of Colonel Nathaniel Roch- 
ester and S. I. Andrews as wardens, and for vestry- 
men, Silas O. Smith, Roswell Babbitt, John Mastick, 
Lewis Jenkins, Elisha Johnson, John C. Rochester, 
William Atkinson, and Oliver Culver. 

Occasional services were held for the parish by the 
Rev. Messrs. Onderdonk, G. H. Norton, A. Welton, 
and perhaps others, in the school house on the lot ad- 
joining the present church edifice. When Bishop 
Hobart visited the parish, in September, 1818, he con- 
firmed four persons in the building belonging to the 
First Presbyterian society, which was kindly loaned 
for the service. The offer of the original proprietors 
of "the 100-acre tract," Messrs. Rochester, Fitzhugh 
and Carroll, to present a lot to the first religious so- 
ciety which would undertake the erection of a church 



80 CHURCHES 0E ROCHESTER. 

edifice thereon, being still open, the vestry resolved, 
in July, 1820, to avail themselves of the proposition. 
A wooden building, thirty-eight by forty-six feet, was 
immediately reared, and occupied on the following 
Christmas day. The services of a clergyman had been 
meanwhile secured, and the Rev. Francis H. Cumming, 
deacon, entered upon his duties as rector on the first 
Sunday of December, 1820. On the 20th of February, 
1821, the little church was consecrated by Bishop 
Hobart ; and on the following day the rector was ad- 
vanced to the priesthood. 

In April, 1823, the need of a new edifice having be- 
come apparent, the vestry determined upon the erec- 
tion of a stone church, fifty-three by seventy-three 
feet, the corner-stone of which was laid the same 
season. The wooden structure was removed to the 
rear, and served as a Sunday school building until 
1832, when it was again removed and converted to 
other uses. The new church was first occupied on 
the first Sunday of September, 1825, but, owing to the 
absence of the bishop in Europe, was not consecrated 
until September 30, 1826. 

The year 1827 was distinguished by the consent of the 
vestry of Saint Luke's to the organization of a new 
parish on the east side of the river, to be called Saint 
Paul' s. Fifteen communicants were dismissed to the 
new parish, and iive to a new organization called 
Trinity church, Penfield. 

In 1828 the church was enlarged by the addition of 
thirty feet to its length, rendering it capable of seat- 
ing one thousand persons ; and a bell was at the same 
time procured, at a cost of $900. 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 81 

The Rev. Mr. dimming resigned the rectorship in 
March, 1829, after an incumbency of eight years and 
three months. He was succeeded, December 6, 1829, 
by the Rev. Henry J. Whitehouse, who was instituted 
by Bishop Hobart August 29, 1830. In 1832 a Sunday 
school and lecture room was erected in the rear of the 
church, forty-four by fifty feet. In the following year 
a charity school of seventy-five scholars was estab- 
lished, upon the basis of a free school previously in 
existence, and mainly supported by the Young La- 
dies' Benevolent Society of Saint Luke's, which con- 
tinued in active operation until the present common 
school system was adopted in the city. 

During the rector's absence in Europe for a year, 
from September, 1833, the Rev. James A. Bolles was 
appointed assistant minister to take charge of the 
parish ; and on the occasion of a later foreign tour, in 
1836-37, the Rev. N. F. Bruce, M.D., occupied a sim- 
ilar relation. After a pastorate of marked pros- 
perity and faithfulness, lasting through fourteen years 
and five months, Dr. Whitehouse resigned, May 1, 
1844. On the 9th of May, the Rev. Thomas C. Pitkin 
was elected rector, and assumed charge of the parish 
July 14, 1844. He was instituted by Bishop DeLan- 
cey August 11 of the same year. The Rev. John N. 
Norton became assistant to the rector, with the ap- 
proval of the vestry, in April, 1846. In this year 
Trinity church was organized, the consent and God- 
speed of the vestry of Saint Luke' s having been pre- 
viously given; a large number of the families and 
communicants of Saint Luke's uniting in the new en- 
terprise. The Rev. Mr. Pitkin, finding his health in- 



82 CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

adequate to the care of so large a parish, tendered his 
resignation, to take effect July 12, 1847, after a minis- 
try of three years. In October the vacant rectorship 
was tendered to the Rev. Henry W. Lee, which he ac- 
cepted, to enter upon his duties January 1, 1848. The 
Rev. F. F. Ward well, deacon, who had been in charge 
of the parish during the vacancy, remained as the 
first assistant to the rector. The Rev. Mr. Lee was 
instituted February 16, 1848, by Bishop DeLancey. 

He was subsequently enabled, through the contri- 
butions of the Ladies' Missionary Society, to secure 
the assistance of the Rev. Messrs. Edward Meyer, 
George H. McKnight, Bethel Judd, D.D., W. H. Bar- 
ris, George N. Cheney, George W. Watson, and T. A. 
Hopkins, successively. During his laborious and pros- 
perous ministry of seven years, a new organ replaced 
the one erected in 1825, and a peal of bells was hung 
in the tower. The resignation of Dr. Lee was caused 
by his election to the bishopric of Iowa, which resigna- 
tion was accepted by the vestry ' ' with unmingled feel- 
ings of regret, and with a grateful appreciation of the 
many qualities which rendered his ministry so im- 
portant to the prosperity of the parish, and which en- 
deared him to the people of his charge." On Saint 
Luke's day, the 11th of October, 1854, he was conse- 
crated to the Episcopal office, in the presence of his 
flock, by Bishops Hopkins, Eastburn, McCoskry, De- 
Lancey, Burgess, and Whitehouse. 

In December of the same year the Rev. Benjamin 
Watson was elected rector, and on the 29th of the en- 
suing April entered upon his duties ; the Rev. T. A. 
Hopkins having officiated in the interim. Soon after 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 83 

his arrival in the city, he held the primary meeting for 
the organization of a new parish, chiefly by parish- 
ioners of Saint Luke's residing in the south-eastern 
portion of the city, to be called Christ' s church. Dur- 
ing the first year of his ministry the church was re- 
paired and improved at a cost of $5,000, a portion of 
which was provided for by subscription at the time. 
His institution took place February 14, 1856. He was 
assisted by the Revs. Robert W. Lewis and C. E. Che- 
ney. After a ministry of four years and three months, 
considerations of health prompting the Rev. Mr. 
Watson to dissolve his connection with the church, 
his resignation was accepted, to take effect August 1, 
1859. The Rev. R. Bethell Claxton, D.D., was ap- 
pointed his successor, and entered upon the rectorship 
December 1, 1859. On the 20th of the next February 
the rector was instituted by Bishop DeLancey, Bishop 
H. W. Lee preaching the sermon. Dr. Claxton was 
indefatigable in his labors among the poorer members 
of the parish, and by means derived chiefly from the 
Sunday school and the Young Ladies' Missionary So- 
ciety, he succeeded, amid much discouragement, in 
founding the chapel of the G-ood Shepherd, in the 
eleventh ward. He laid the corner-stone of a neat 
edifice of brick, September 23, 1863 ; and on the 
31st of July of the next year he had the satisfaction 
of opening the chapel for Divine service. The total 
cost of the lot and building was upwards of $3000. 
In the first year of his ministry (August, 1860), a rec- 
tory was purchased, upon which $4000 was paid ; and 
in April, 1865, the vestry took order for rebuilding 
and enlarging the Sunday school accommodations, 



84 CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

which work was completed at a cost of $6000, in April, 
1866. The assistants of Dr. Claxton were the Revs. 
Joseph Kidder, Frederick N. Luson, De-Witt C. Loop, 
Frederick M. Gray, and Horatio Gray His resigna- 
tion was consequent upon his election to the chair of 
Professor of Pulpit Eloquence and Pastoral Care in 
the Divinity school of the Protestant Episcopal church 
in Philadelphia. It was accepted to take effect Octo- 
ber 1, 1865. 

The parish, remaining for seven months without a 
rector, was served by the Rev. W. J. Clark. On the 
23d of April, 1866, the Rev. Henry Anstice was elect- 
ed to the rectorship, which office he still holds, and on 
the second Sunday of May he entered upon the work. 
During the same year two lots were added to the rec- 
tory grounds, and the interior of the church remod- 
elled and thoroughly refitted in every part. To meet 
these expenses and liquidate an existing debt, $26,500 
were cheerfully subscribed. 

While the work was progressing, the congregation 
worshipped in the First Presbyterian church, through 
the christian courtesy of its trustees. Saint Luke's 
was re-opened on the 10th of March, 1867, by the 
Rt. Rev. A. C. Coxe, D.D., and the institution of the 
rector followed on the 14th inst., William Pitkin, Esq., 
presenting the keys of the church, an office he had 
performed at the institution of every previous rector. 
The prosperity of the church and its enlarging field of 
usefulness demanding it, provision was made for an 
additional assistant minister, and well sustained mis- 
sionary services were held in various parts of the city. 
On the 23d of July, 1868, the rector laid the corner- 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 85 

stone of a new chapel, to be built of brick, on Frances 
street, at the head of Adams. On the 28th of Febru- 
ary, 1869, the opening service was held. The build- 
ing (since named the chapel of the Epiphany), is 
neatly built, in early English style, sixty by forty-two 
feet inside, slate roofed, with four double lancet stained 
glass windows on each side, and a window in front on 
either side of a central tower, which is eighty-two feet 
high. The chapel is carpeted and furnished with bell, 
organ, font, and chancel furniture. The entire cost 
has been eleven thousand five hundred dollars. An 
adjoining lot has been secured for a parsonage. 

On Easter Monday, 1869, the rector presided at a 
meeting to incorporate the chapel of the Good Shep- 
herd, as an independent church, and transferred forty- 
one families and fifty- one communicants from Saint 
Luke's to form the nucleus of the new parish. The 
assistants of the present rector have been the Rev. M. 
R. St, J. Dillon, Jacob Miller, D. H. Lovejoy, W. W. 
Raymond, and George S. Baker. The last named is 
still rendering most efficient service in the parish. 

RECTORS. 

The Rev. Francis H. Cumming, D.D., first rector of 
Saint Luke's, was born at New Haven, Conn., Octo- 
ber 28, 1799. His education was chiefly acquired 
under the care of the late Dr. Rudd, at Elizabeth, 
1ST. J. He was ordained deacon by Bishop Croes, 
in Saint John's, Elizabeth, in 1819, and was ad- 
vanced to the priesthood by Bishop Hobart, at Saint 
Luke's, in February, 1821. His earliest ministry was 



86 CHUKCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

at Binghamton, whence lie was called to Saint LuWs 
December, 1820. Kemaining till March, 1829, he re- 
moved to Heading, Pa., and thence to Le Hoy, N. Y., 
spending a year in each place. In 1833 he assumed 
the secretaryship and general agency for the P. E. S. 
S. Union in New York, which position he retained 
four years, at the same time forming and ministering 
to a congregation on Staten Island. Dissolving his 
connection with the Sunday School Union, he be- 
came first rector of Calvary church, New York. In 
October, 1839, he accepted the rectorship of Saint 
Andrew's church, Ann Arbor, Mich. In 1843 he 
removed to Saint Mark's church, Grand Kapids, 
where for nearly nineteen years, or until called to the 
chaplaincy of the Third regiment, Mich. Infantry, he 
remained. Leaving the army in April, he returned 
to his family at Grand Rapids, broken in health, and 
died August 26, 1862. 

Rev. Henry John Whitehouse, D.D., LL.D., Oxford 
and Cantab, is a native of New York city; a graduate of 
Columbia college and the General Theological semin- 
ary; was ordained deacon by Bishop John Croes,D.D., 
of New Jersey, and priest by Bishop William White, 
of Pennsylvania ; spent two years in Christ' s church, 
Reading, Penn. ; came to Rochester in December, 
1829 ; leaving in May, 1844, to assume the rectorship 
of Saint Thomas' church in his native city, as succes- 
sor of Dr. Hawks, after declining the presidency of 
Hobart college, Geneva, the bishopric of Michigan, and 
several other important posts. In 1851 he went to 
Illinois, as assistant to Bishop Chase, and upon the 
death of that venerable prelate, became Episcopal 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 87 

diocesan of Illinois, his residence being Chicago. 
Bishop Whitehouse visited Europe during 1865 and 
1868, traveling extensively, taking an active part in 
Italian reform, acting k for the Bishop of London in 
visitations of churches in Denmark and Sweden, con- 
secrating a church at Stockholm, and performing 
other services there and in Kussia. Bishop White- 
house was mainly instrumental in effecting the Lam- 
beth Pan- Anglican Synod, and preached, by invitation 
of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the opening sermon. 
He has taken a deep interest in church schools. But 
during a public life of many years and high honors, 
no part was characterized by results of greater appar- 
ent benefit and marked by a fuller realization of min- 
isterial success, than that of his rectorship of Saint 
Luke's, in this city. His Lent lectures and Bible 
class instructions will long live in the grateful recol- 
lections of the many who attended upon them through 
successive years. 

The Rev. Thomas Clapp Pitkin, D.D., was born at 
Farmington, Conn. ; graduated at Yale college and 
the General Theological seminary ; ministered at 
Lawrenceburgh, Ind., and Louisville, Ky., and be- 
came rector of Saint Luke's in July, 1844. After a 
pastorate of three years he went to Trinity church, 
New Haven, in the relation of associate to the Rev. 
Dr. Croswell ; removed thence to Saint Peter' s, Albany, 
and subsequently became associate with Dr. Shelion 
at Saint Paul's, Buffalo. 

The Right Rev. Henry Washington Lee, D.D., 
LL.D., Cantab, is a native of Hampden, Conn., but 
early removed to Springfield, Mass. , where his lather, 



88 CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

Col. Rose well Lee, was for forty years superintendent 
of the United States armory. After a thorough 
academic education, he was ordained by Bishop Gfris- 
wold, and for nine years was rector of Christ's church, 
Springfield. Accepting an invitation to the rectorship 
of Saint Luke's, he continued in that position until 
his elevation to the Bishopric of Iowa, in October, 
1854, his resignation not taking effect, however, until 
January, 1855. In the discharge of his Episcopal 
functions, Dr. Lee has ever been characterized by that 
single-hearted earnestness and transparent sincerity 
which marked his earlier ministry. He is the found- 
er, in 1860, of Griswold's college, Davenport, in the 
theological department of which he fills the chair of 
Professor of Systematic Divinity ; and in 1864 he 
established the Bishop Lee Female seminary at Du- 
buque. He was a member of the Lambeth Confer- 
ence, and received an early decree from Cambridge 
university. 

The Rev. Benjamin Watson, D.D., was born in 
Philadelphia ; graduated at Trinity college and the 
General Theological seminary. His first parish was 
Zion church, Newport, R. I., whence he was called to 
Saint Luke's, in May, 1855. After a rectorship of 
four years and three months, he accepted a call to the 
church of the Atonement, Philadelphia, where he 
still resides. 

The Rev. R. Bethel Claxton, D.D., is a native of 
Philadelphia ; graduated at Yale college ; pursued 
his theological studies at the Alexandria seminary, 
Ya. After a rectorship in Pennsylvania and mission- 
ary labors in Indiana, he became rector of St. Paul' s : 



CHURCHES OP ROCHESTER. SO 

Cleveland, whence lie removed to accept the charge 
of Saint Luke's, in December, 1859. Upon his elec- 
tion to a professorship in the Divinity school, in Phil- 
adelphia, he resigned his rectorship, in October, 1865. 
He is still engaged in the duties of his chair in the 
Divinity school. 

The Rev. Henry Anstice, seventh rector of Saint 
Luke' s, is a native of New York city ; a graduate of 
Williams college, Mass., in 1861, and of the Philadel- 
phia Divinity school, in 1865. He was ordained dea- 
con in July and presbyter in November, of the same 
year, by Bishop Potter, of New York. He officiated 
atlrvington, on the Hudson, until his acceptance of a 
call to Saint Luke's, in April, 1866. He entered upon 
the discharge of his duties in this relation on the 
second Sunday in May, and, after five years of labor, 
is still the rector of this church. 

Among the y6ung men who went from this church 
into the ministry were : 

Rev. Kendrick Metcalf, D.D., Professor in Hobart 
college, Geneva. 

Rev. William Stanton, D.D., residing in New York. 

Rev. Erastus Spalding, who died in Vienna, N. Y., 
leaving four sons, all now in the ministry. 

Rev. Jeremiah H. Waldo, Springfield, Illinois. 

Rev. Charles B. Stout, Chicago, Illinois. 

Rev. William T. Aitkins, deceased. 

Rev. W. H. Hickcox, Leroy, Kansas. 

Rev. Ethan Allen, deceased. 

Rev. Henry Lockwood (missionary to China), Pitts- 
ford, N. Y. 

Rev. T. R. Chipman, deceased. 



90 CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

BAPTISMS, CONFIRMATIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS 
DURING FIFTY YEARS. 

Rev. F. H. Gumming, D.D., Dec, 1820, to March, 1829. 
Bap., 255; conf., 110; cont., $14,500. 

Rev. H. J.Whitehouse, D.D., Dec, 1829, to May, 1844. 
Bap., 1167; conf., 444; cont, $17,094. 

Rev. T. C. Pitkin, July, 1844, to July, 1847. 
Bap., 234; conf., 97; cont., $5,140. 

Rev. H. W. Lee, D.D., January, 1848, to January, 1855. 
Bap., 588; conf., 189 ; cont., $20,431. 

Rev. B. Watson, May, 1855, to August, 1859. 
Bap., 263; conf., 76; cont., $15,448. 

Rev. B. Claxton, D.D., Dec, 1859, to Oct., 1865. 
Bap., 403; conf., 127; cont., $23,957. 

Rev. Henry Anstice, May, 1866, to May, 1871. 
Bap., 418; conf., 298; cont., $92,209. 

Several brief interims. 
Bap., 79 ; conf., 5 ; cont., $631. 

Total of baptisms, 3407. 
Total of confirmations 1346. 
Total contributions, $189,410. 

SUMMARY, JI7ZT /, f87f. 

Rector — Rev. Henry Anstice. 

Wardens — Messrs. William Brewster and Grilman 
H. Perkins. 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 91 

Vestrymen — Messrs. E. Darwin Smith, E. E. Sill, 
James Brackett, William Eastwood, Charles H. 
Chapin, Edward W. Williams, Charles F. Smith, and 
Thomas Raines. 

Cleric of Vestry — Thomas Raines. 

Treasurer — Edward R. Hammatt. 

S. S. Superintendent — Rector. 

S. S. Scholars— 397. 

Communicants — 614. 



SAINT PAUL'S CHUKCH. 



This second Episcopal parish in Rochester was 
originally organized under the title of Saint Paul's 
^hurch, the edifice bearing that name being erected in 
1829. In architectural design, this structure was far 
in advance of anything at that time in Western New 
York ; its beauty and grandeur drawing to it visitors 
from all the country around. Its spire was designed to 
exceed in height anything in this part of the State ; 
but after successful raising and during the absence of 
workmen at dinner, the elements made sport of their 
ambition, and they returned to find that the wind had 
cleaned it even with the roof. The original design 
was abandoned and the present tower substituted. As 
a key to important features in its subsequent history, 
it may be remarked that a loan of $10,000 from the 
North River Insurance Company was effected by the 
vestry, to be used as part of the building fund, which 
was secured by a mortgage on the building. 

Rev. Charles P. Mcllvaine (now the venerable Bishop 
of Ohio) was the presbyter presiding at the meetings 
for the organization of the parish ; Rev. F. H. Cum- 
ming being rector of Saint Luke's. 

"The leading men at the organization and for many 



CHUECHES OF EOCHESTEE. 93 

years afterward (writes an old parishioner), were 
Messrs. William Atkinson and Elislia Johnson. For 
many years Saint Paul's was called Johnson's church, 
he being the leading spirit in the enterprise." 

The first rector was Rev. Sutherland Douglas, of 
whom an extended notice from another hand will be 
found at the close of this narrative. 

He was succeeded by Rev. Chauncey Colton, who 
left on account of ill health, in 1832, and is now a res- 
ident of Maryland. 

Rev. H. Y. D. Johns was called early in 1832. Of 
him the same friend writes : "He visited the parish 
in Lent of that year, accepted a call, preached on 
Sunday, baptized an adult, and left for ^Baltimore for 
his family, but did not return." This adult was for 
fifteen years after a most exemplary and useful worker 
in the parish, and during some of its darkest days the 
faithful steward of its finances.* 

Then came Rev. Burton H. Hickox from Palmyra, 
who was in charge from 1832 to 1 835 — being remarka- 
ble for prudence, persistence and success in relieving 
parishes from financial embarassments, and institut- 
ing plans of well doing. 

In 1835 Rev. Orange Clark, D.D., was called from 
Lockport, and continued in charge four years, when 
he removed to California and died. 

Rev. Washington YanZandt became rector in April, 
1839. It was a period of special religious interest in 
the city, and Mr. YanZandt " was for six months (one 
of) the most popular ministers the church in Rochester 

* Ansel Eoberts, Esq. 



94 CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

nad ever had." At the first visit of Bishop DeLancey 
thirty-one persons were confirmed and at another seven- 
teen. After a pastorate of one year and six months 
he resigned. The history of this period was one of 
disaster to the parish and to the sacred interests parishes 
are designed to further. Let a veil be drawn over it. 
But it would be a crime against the uses of history 
not to record here the fact that during this incumbency 
peremptory inhibition was laid upon the amusement 
of dancing, in the case of young persons coming to 
confirmation or to the holy communion in this parish. 

After a long vacancy, when the pulpit was supplied 
by professors from Geneva, the Rev. William E. 
Eigenbrodt (now professor in General Episcopal sem- 
inary, N". Y., and secretary of convention), was called 
from Bainbridge, W. N. Y., and entered upon his 
duties June 12, 1842, continuing till December, 1843, 
when he resigned ; but not without inaugurating means 
for rescuing the parish property from its anomalous 
condition, in its transfer from the ownership of indi- 
viduals to that of the bishop of the diocese, and this 
with a view to its restoration ultimately to the legal 
guardianship of a vestry ; a result in the end happily 
accomplished. 

The rectorship of Mr. Eigenbrodt was marked by 
the happiest and most satisfactory relations with the 
vestry and the parish ; but it had this special and 
crowning glory, that it restored in all minds, at a 
most critical moment, that reverence for the sacred 
office which had received so disastrous a shock ; and 
that it re-established as the true measure of admira- 
tion and support towards a christian pastor, the 



CHrKCHES OF ROCHESTER. 95 

standard of exemplary purity and fidelity in charac- 
ter, and of the solid qualities of the shepherd, guide 
and teacher. 

Under the rectorship of the Rev. B. H. Hickox, the 
church edifice had been rescued from menaced 
alienation, and the title to the church property had 
passed to a new corporation, taking the name of Grace 
church. This new corporation effected a settlement 
with the old creditor, the insurance company, by 
purchasing the edifice under a foreclosure of the 
mortgage. The corporation of Trinity church, IS"ew 
York, contributed a liberal sum to enable Grace 
church to compass this settlement, taking a mortgage 
on the edifice. 

In the end there was a second foreclosure ; and the 
edifice was bought in under it by the association of 
gentlemen who held the title during the two rector- 
ships last named ; and who had besides made large 
advances to carry on the parish. 

It was to eradicate the bitter root of original debt, 
against which he felt it hopeless for any pastor to con- 
tend, and of which he was ignorant when he entered 
upon the charge, that Mr. Eigenbrodt resolved to 
bring things to a crisis by resigning the charge. 

Bishop DeLancey made, in October, 1844, thi3 
record of the facts : 

" February 4 to 11. — I visited Rochester on this oc- 
casion with especial reference to the affairs of Grace 
church, worshiping in Saint Paul- s church edifice ; 
which edifice had been bought in under a foreclosure, 
by a few members of the congregation, some of whom 
had been large contributors to the church before, and 



96 CHUKCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

who advanced the requisite amount in the hope that 
the church might be revived and themselves refunded. 
The rector had resigned on account of the pecuniary 
embarrassments of the church. The vestry were un- 
able to purchase the church, and there was apprehen- 
sion lest the building should, by the force of circum- 
stances, be alienated from the Episcopal church, and 
the congregation dispersed. 

' ' I deemed it my duty, after consulting with wise 
and influential lay friends in Rochester, to become the 
proprietor of the edifice, in the hope of thus ensuring 
to the church in perpetuity the possession of the 
building, in case the effort to relieve it from pecuniary 
embarassment should succeed, and also to afford a ba- 
sis for the experiment to relieve it to be fairly tried. 

"The congregation with the vestry of Grace church 
continue to worship in this church, supplied with the 
ministrations of the clergy laboring in it under my 
direction, and awaiting the result of the experiment, 
as well as in aiding in the effort to rescue the church 
from its difficulties. 

"The funds derived from pew rents are applied to 
providing the services of the clergy, to the payment 
of the interest on the debt and reduction of the prin- 
cipal, and to the contingent expenses. My own ser- 
vices are given gratuitously, and are designed to be 
rendered in such way and at such times as not to in- 
terfere with my diocesean duties, which are par- 
amount." 

The experiment was blessed with success, and in 
the end the title to the edifice was placed, free of in- 






CHUECHES OF ROCHESTER. 97 

cumbrance, in the corporation of Grace church, where 
it remains. 

The clergymen employed under this arrangement 
were, (1) Rev. Stephen Douglas, for three months ; 
(2) Rev. John V. Vanlngen, D.D., who was soon 
joined by Rev. Charles H. Piatt, deacon, both being 
appointed missionaries for city and county without 
stipends, giving also gratuitous services to Penfield, 
Brighton, Pittsford, &c. Others were added as assist- 
ants to the working staff in all parts of the city and 
suburbs. Besides the rector, Rev. Mr. Piatt, there 
ministered to this parish, Rev. J ohn N . Norton, Rev. 
Jonathan L. Eaton, Rev. Walter Ayrault (now D.D.), 
Rev. T. N. Benedict, Rev. Joshua Smith, Rev. 
Sylvanus Reed, Rev. Wentworth L. Childs, Rev. W. 
H. Barris, Rev. Philemon E. Coe, Rev. Albert Wood, 
and Rev. John B. Calhoun. 

The rescue of the parish property from encum- 
brance, happily effected in 1847, was in part the effort 
of the bishop, who secured about two thousand dol- 
lars for this purpose, and of vestry and parishioners, 
with the noble zeal and activity of young men who 
gave here their first services in the ministry with a de- 
votion to humble labor among the poor never to be 
forgotten for fidelity and success. 

The title to the property being now in the vestry 
the parish, freed from debt, entered upon a career 
of quiet, steady growth and usefulness. Rev. Dr. 
Vanlngen was chosen rector at a salary of one thou- 
sand dollars (1848); of which he remitted two hundred 
dollars in consideration of the recent exhausting 
efforts of the parish. 



98 CHUECHES OF EOCHESTEE. 

The church edifice was destroyed by fire on a Sun- 
day morning, in July, 1847. There being an insur- 
ance of ten thousand dollars and no debt, the vestry 
proceeded courageously to rebuild. Services were held 
for a time in the old high school, until Christmas, 
1847, when the restored basement was joyfully occu- 
pied. The entire edifice being completed, was conse- 
crated as Grace church, December 17, 1848. 

Upon the removal of Dr. Vanlngen to. Saint Pauls, 
Minnesota, in 1854, his place was taken by Rev. 
Maunsell VanRensselaer,D.D., who, after an adminis- 
tration of characteristic fidelity, was called to the 
presidency of DeVeaux college, Niagara Falls. 

He was succeeded by the present rector, Rev. Israel 
Foote, D.D., in May, 1859. Under his laborious, pru- 
dent and faithful administration, the parish has grown 
to its present condition. A parsonage (original cost 
ten thousand dollars), and a parish school building 
(twelve thousand dollars), have been added to its pro- 
perty, and the church edifice enlarged, improved and 
beautified, at a cost of twenty -seven thousand dollars. 
Let not the record be omitted that (while in the lan- 
guage of the present rector, " None of us do anything 
to boast of, and why it should be paraded before the 
world but to shame us, I know not," to all of which 
the present writer subscribes), not one dollar of this 
was raised by fairs, or "any means except direct 
subscription, bequest or contribution." 

The communicants reported by Dr. Eigenbrodt in 
1843, were 108, but now they number 464. But no 
eye but that of the All- seeing, and no measure but 
that of the final judgement can give report of the in- 



CHUECHES OF EOCHESTEK. 99 

fluence or the actual result of the life of an individual 
or of a parish. And in view of the actual state of 
morals to-day, no demonstration, one would think, so 
well becomes "the churches," as that of humiliation 
in sack-cloth and ashes. J. V. V. I. 

Note. — During one of the interims of rectorship, 
about the year 1831, the members of the First Pres- 
byterian church worshiped for several months in this 
church, while their' s was undergoing repair. An act 
of courtesy gratefully appreciated, and an illustration 
of christian unity, of which this city has often been 
the scene. 

Rev. Sutherland Douglas, son of the late Alanson 
Douglas, of Troy, was born in 1804 ; graduated at 
Yale college and the General Theological seminary ; 
was ordained deacon by Bishop Gfriswold ; accepted 
charge of Saint John's church, D. C. ; became first 
rector of Saint Paul' s, Rochester, in 1828, but resigned 
in less than a year on account of impaired health. 
He sailed to Havre in hopes of restoration, but after 
severe illness died in London, after a brief but devoted 
ministerial career. During the few lucid hours of his- 
last sickness, he received the sacrament from Rev. Dr. 
Wilson (subsequently Metropolitan of India), who 
had his remains deposited in his family vault at Isling- 
ton, there to await the resurrection of the just. More 
than forty years have passed away and yet the writer 
of this sketch, young then, well remembers the text 
of one of his discourses, and vividly recalls his plain- 
tive voice, deeply serious countenance, and earnest 
manner, in the sacred desk. 



100 CHIJECHES OF KOCHESTER. 

" The loveliest star of evening's train 
Sets early in the western main ; 
The brightest star of morning's host, 
Scarce ris'n in brighter beams is lost." 

William B. Douglas, Esq., of this city, is a brother, 
and Mrs. Samuel Miller, of New Haven, a sister of 
this young and gifted divine. 



SJ7MMART, J77ZT 1, f87f. 

Hector — Rev. Israel Foote, D.D. 

Assistant Rector — Rev. C. N. Allen. 

Wardens — Messrs. George W. Mumford and 
Johnson I. Robins. 

Vestrymen — Messrs. George Ellwanger, George E. 
Mumford, H. F. Atkinson, F. Goodrich, R. S. 
Kenyon, D. A. Watson, F. L. Durand, and E. K. 
Warren. 

S. S. Superintendent — The rector. 

Librarian — Bernard S. Vanlngen. 

JS T o. of S. S. Scholars— 30£ 

JSfo. of Communicants — 464. 



TRINITY CHURCH. 



The organization of a third Episcopal church and 
parish in the city of Rochester, and in that portion of 
the city commonly called Frankfort, occupied the 
thoughts and enlisted the sympathy of the Rev. Dr. 
Henry J. Whitehouse, then rector of Saint Luke's 
church, and now the distinguished Bishop of Illinois, 
as early as the year 1836. The project met with the 
sympathy and cooperation of several prominent and 
influential members of Dr. Whitehouse' s parish, and 
subscriptions were made for the object to the amount 
of about one thousand dollars. A lot was purchased 
opposite Brown' s square, and, realizing that the foun- 
dations of parochial strength are securely laid in 
Sunday schools, Seth C. Jones, Esq., an earnest lay- 
man and parishioner of Saint Luke' s church, opened 
a Sunday school in the district school house that then 
stood on the square. Here the work seems to have 
rested until, in 1844, Dr. Whitehouse received and ac- 
cepted a call to the rectorship of Saint Thomas's 
church, New York. The prosecution of the enter- 
prise that lay so near his heart was a prominent sub- 
ject of his exhortations to the attached and beloved 
people of his flock as he bade them farewell, and 



102 CHUECHES OF EOCHESTEE. 

urged them to enlarge their boundaries and multiply 
their activities for the good, not of the parish simply, 
but of the church at large. 

Dr. Whitehouse was succeeded by the Rev. Thomas 
0. Pitkin, of , Louisville, Ky., whose influence was 
cheerfully lent to the realization of his predecessor's 
wishes. During the month of August, 1845, the sub- 
scribers to the fund above mentioned, together with 
other friends of the movement, and under the official 
sanction and direction of the Rev. Mr. Pitkin, met in 
the public school house number five, corner of Fish 
(now Centre) and Jones streets, and began public 
services Sunday afternoons and evenings, Mr. Pitkin, 
the Rev. Dr. Yanlngen, then rector of Saint Paul's 
church, and others, officiating at their convenience. 

On the 27th of October following a meeting was held 
at the same place, and the legal organization of a new 
parish, to be called "Trinity church," was effected by 
the election of Messrs. Henry E. Rochester and Seth 
C. Jones as wardens, and Messrs. G-eorge R. Clark, 
Samuel F. Witherspoon, George Arnold, David Hoyt, 
Patrick G-. Buchan, William E. Lathrop, Lewis P. 
Beers, and Seth M. Maltby as vestrymen. On the 22d 
of December following the Rev. Yandervoort Bruce, 
of New York, was called to the rectorship of the new 
parish, and having accepted the call he preached his 
first sermon to the little flock January 8, 1846. The 
following day, at a meeting convened for the purpose, 
it was resolved to sell the lot already owned on Brown 
street, and to purchase what was considered a more 
-eligible one, on the corner of Fish and Frank streets. 
Seth C. Jones, Henry E. Rochester, and George Ar- 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 103 

nold were appointed a building committee, and they 
at once procured plans for a church edifice from D. C. 
McCollum, architect, and contracted with William 
Bassett for building the same. Subscriptions were 
made and the work progressed so well that on the 14th 
of June following the corner-stone of the church was 
laid in the presence and with the assistance of the 
city clergy, the rector making the address. 

On the 24th of December following, it being Christ- 
mas Eve, divine service was held in the church for the 
first time, the rector preaching the sermon, and the 
Kev. Fortune C. Brown, of Avon, and the Rev. W. 
Ayrault, of Canandaigua, assisting in the service. 
Previous to this date the services had been held in 
public school house number five, under great and 
manifest disadvantages, but so strong was the faith 
and so earnest the labors of this handful of parish- 
ioners that a spiritual harvest had been made ready to 
the laborer's hand, in a few months. The holy eu- 
charist was celebrated for the first time February 2d 
of this year, when twenty-two of the faithful commu- 
nicated. The sacrament of holy baptism was first 
administered March 8th, the candidate being Edward, 
the infant son of S. F. Witherspoon, Esq. The holy 
rite of confirmation was first administered August 23d, 
by Bishop DeLancey, to nineteen persons. Meantime 
a Sunday school had been organized, and was suc- 
cessfully conducted under Henry E. Rochester, Esq., 
as superintendent, and Mrs. George Arnold, assistant 
superintendent. 

The Rev. Mr. Bruce resigned the rectorship of the 
parish May 12, 1847, after a ministry of but sixteen 



104 CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

months, and removed to New York city, where he 
still resides. He was succeeded by the Rev. Charles 
D. Cooper, of Wilkesbarre, Pa., who entered npon 
the discharge oi his duties October 1st, the same year. 
Under his ministry the parish interests continued to 
thrive, and on the morning of February 15, 1848, the 
debt having been entirely paid, the church was con- 
secrated to the worship of Almighty God. Bishop 
DeLancey was the consecrator, and there were of the 
reverend clergy present and assisting, besides the rec- 
tor, the Revs. Henry W. Lee,D.D., then rector of Saint 
Luke's, Rochester, and now Bishop of Iowa, J. V. 
Vanlngen, D.D., S. Benedict, Mason Gallagher, A. P. 
Stryker, J. A. Bolles, A. Lockwood, and Samuel 
Chipman. Two days later the rector was formally 
instituted into his cure, and forty-five laymen commu- 
nicated. Mr. Cooper labored faithfully among his 
people, but his ministry was even shorter than his 
predecessor's, for on the 10th of December, 1849, he 
accepted a call to Philadelphia, where he still resides, 
in charge of the church and parish of the Holy 
Apostles. 

Mr. Cooper was succeeded by the Rev. Robert J. 
Parvin, of Towanda, Pa., who assumed the rectorship 
February 10th. His first sermon is still most distinctly 
remembered by his hearers, not only on account of 
the interest which usually attaches to such occasions, 
but also on account of the singular pertinency of his 
text, "I ask therefore for what intent ye have sent 
for me." Mr. Parvin had a successful, though short 
ministry in this parish, and resigned August 12, 1852, 
to take charge of a parish in Pittsfield, Mass. Sub- 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 105 

sequently lie became an agent of the " Society for the 
Increase of the Ministry," and was among those who 
perished on board of the ill fated steamer United States, 
which was burned on the Ohio, December, 1868. 

It will thus be seen that from the outset the parish 
had to contend against an evil that still obtains in the 
church everywhere, a constant change in the pastor- 
ate. But there were stout hearts and generous deeds 
among the laity which were an abundant earnest of 
ultimate success. The records of those days tell the 
same unvarying tale of self-sacrifice for Christ, and 
when the standard of pecuniary values is compared 
with that of the present, the donations of those early 
members of the parish toward its constant and increas- 
ing enterprises, seem truly munificent. 

There is an almost irresistible temptation to particu- 
larize somewhat on this head, and we are restrained 
only by the knowledge that those earnest churchmen 
— many of them still with us — are characterized by 
too genuine a modesty to tolerate any mention of 
their generosity other than in general items. 

During the ministry of Mr. Parvin the chancel win- 
dow was completed, and a Sunday school room fitted 
up for week day services and lectures. 

Mr. Parvin was succeeded, October 1, 1852, by the 
Rev. Addison B. Atkins, of Oswego, N". Y., who re- 
mained until June 12, 1854, when he removed to a 
wider field of usefulness. At his last celebration of 
the Eucharist, one hundred and five communicated, a. 
sufficient evidence of growth in things spiritual. Mr. 
Atkins is now rector of Saint John's church, George- 
town, D. C. 



106 CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

On the 5 th of September following, a call was ex- 
tended to the Kev. George N. Cheney, of Penn Yan, 
N". Y., who entered upon his work October 1. His 
ministry, which was the longest one ever exercised by 
any of the rectors of this parish, lasted until May 1, 
1863, when failing health and sundry private consid- 
erations admonished him to retire from the care of ac- 
tive parochial life. Entering upon his work with an 
eye single to his Master's glory, and with a zeal 
which, though sometimes " cast down," could never 
be " destroyed," he left a most enduring record in 
the hearts of his people. During the great rebellion he 
secured temporary leave of absence from the parish, 
that he might carry the word and sacraments of 
the church to the soldiers who were fighting for 
the nation's life, and in the capacity of chaplain to 
the 33d regiment, New York Volunteers, he served 
the Master and his fellows most faithfully. Retiring 
to the country to rest at the house of a friend, he died 
June 12, 1863. The parish he served so well has 
erected a mural tablet above the altar and on the 
the sanctuary wall, with the appropriate inscription, 
"A Beloved Brother and Faithful Minister in the 
Lord." 

The parish had now realized such a measure of 
material prosperity that it became necessary to mature 
plans for the enlargement of the church edifice. 
Hitherto the body of the church consisted of a nave 
and transepts, the whole outline describing a cross. 
Plans were submitted and adopted at a vestry meet- 
ing, held June 16, 1863, for enlarging the church by 
extending the side walls ten feet on either side, thus 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 107 

adding two rows of pews and two aisles to the already 
existing nave. These plans were adopted, the church 
was enlarged and thoroughly refurnished, and an ac- 
crued debt of a considerable amount was paid off, 
thus placing the parish on a good financial footing. 
On the 9th of next November, a call was extended to 
the Rev. John W. Clark, of Brooklyn, K Y., and 
on the 6th of December, he took charge of the parish 
as rector. He remained only until November 13, 
1864, when he resigned, and accepted a call to Saint 
Thomas's church, Dover, IN". H. 

On the 24th of the following April, a call was ex- 
tended to the Rev. John Y. Yanlngen, D.D., formerly 
of Saint Paul' s church, and sometimes doing mission 
work in Minnesota, who accepted, and at once took 
charge of the parish. He remained until July 1, 1868, 
when he resigned, and became agent of the " Society 
for the Increase of the Ministry." A vacancy in the 
rectorship of eight months now occurred, which, to- 
gether with other preexisting causes not necessary to 
be mentioned, operated disastrously on the interests 
of the parish, and confident predictions were made 
that its race was run. Families which had ever filled 
its pews and swelled its income, contributing to its 
material and spiritual strength, had become scattered, 
and only a faithful few remained to constitute the 
semblance of a parish. But the faith of those few 
never wavered, and in response to their call, the Rev. 
Charles H. W. Stocking, rector of Christ's church, 
Ansonia, Conn., took charge of the parish March 1, 
1869. Seldom is a call accepted under more discour- 
aging circumstances. The exterior and original por- 



108 CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

tion of the church had fallen somewhat into decay,, 
while the interior had become still more unseemly. 
There was no choir, scarcely any parishoners, and 
little more than income enough to pay the sexton. A 
volunteer chorus choir was formed and rehearsed by 
the rector, the Sunday school was re-organized, with 
the assistance of its constant benefactor, S. F. With- 
erspoon, Esq., and general measures of improvement 
inaugurated. A fund of about three thousand dollars 
was raised for improvements within and without the 
church building, and on the 11th of July, it was re- 
opened by the Right Rev. A. Cleaveland Coxe, D.D., 
bishop of the diocese, who preached and administered 
the holy rite of confirmation to twenty-two persons. 

This brings the history of the parish down to the 
present time. During the two years rectorship of the 
present incumbent, the parish has been making rapid 
strides forward in the part of material and religious 
progress, and its future seems reasonably secure. Its- 
membership, income and influence are largely beyond 
what it has ever before enjoyed ; a result attributable 
more to the zeal and cooperation of its members, than 
to the labors or deserts of its rector. 

During the present incumbency a parish Guild has 
been organized, the members of which are solemnly 
pledged : , 

1. To aid in the reverent performance of divine 
worship, by preparing and keeping in order the vest- 
ments of the clergy and all other appointments of the 
choir, the vestry-room and the chancel. 

2. To be present before, during, and after all pub- 
lic services, when not providentially and absolutely 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 109 

prevented, and to so order the above appointments as 
to secure a more seemly and reverent respect for the 
house of God. 

3. To inculcate by precept and example the duty 
of reverence for the holy place. 

4. To seek out and report to the rector any exist- 
ing cases of sickness, suffering or destitution within 
their respective districts, and, under his direction, to 
aid such as are worthy. 

5. To ascertain and report to the rector the names 
of all strangers moving within the parish, and who 
attend its services and unite with them in facilitating 
an early and cordial acquaintance with those "who 
are of the same household of faith." 

This institution has accomplished much good to the 
parish and the city. 

A parish school was also opened last year under 
the immediate supervision of the rector, and with Miss 
Frances M. Buchan, an earnest and most efficient 
teacher, as principal. 

The Sunday school is an element of great strength. 
It numbers eighteen teachers, and two hundred and 
fifty scholars. 

Of the original incorporators but four remain with- 
in the parish, viz : George R. Clark, S. F. Withers- 
poon, George Arnold and Dr. B. F. Gilkeson. 

The present incumbent, Rev. Charles H. W. Stock- 
ing, was born in Norwich, Conn. ; at the age of six- 
teen he removed to Providence, and thence to Bos- 
ton, where he prepared for college. He entered Trin- 
ity college, Hartford, in 1856, graduated in 1860, en- 
tered the General Theological seminary, New York 



110 CHUECHES OF EOCHESTER. 

city, where he also graduated. Ordained to trie dea- 
conate by Bishop Horatio Potter, in New York, June 
28, 1863, and to the priesthood by the same bishop, 
at Brion Cliff, Westchester county, N. Y., December 
17, 1863, of which parish he had the charge for the 
first year of his ministry. In October, 1864, he be- 
came rector of the church of the Nativity, Bridge- 
port, Conn., and warden of the orphanage connected 
with the same. In October, 1865, he accepted the 
rectorship of Christ's church, Ansonia, Conn. In 
connection with the parent parish, he also founded 
mission parish at Nichols' Farms, Trumball, Conn., 
which, in four years, became self-supporting, and 
was placed under the charge of a resident pastor. 

In March, 1869, he removed to Rochester, where he 
now holds the rectorship of Trinity parish. 

STATISTICS OF THE PAEISIT. 

Since its formation, 808 have been baptized, 341 con- 
firmed, 247 couples united in holy matrimony, and 
378 persons buried. 

The parish at present numbers more than 700 souls, 
of whom about 250 are communicants. 

Of those who found in Trinity church a spiritual 
mother, six have gone forth as priests of Christ's 
church to minister the word and sacraments to others. 

Of the eight priests who have served at its altar, 
two now rest from their labors, the Revs. G-. N. 
Cheney and Robert J. Parvin. 

The Rev. Yandervoort Bruce is living in New York 
city, and is without any parochial care. 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. Ill 

Rev. Charles D. Cooper is rector of the church of 
the Holy Apostles, Philadelphia. 

Rev. Addison B. Atkins is rector of Saint John's 
church, Georgetown, D. C. 

Rev. John W. Clark is rector of Saint Paul's 
church, East Saginaw, Mich. 

Rev. J. Y. Yanlngen, D.D., is chaplain of the 
House of Refuge, Rochester. 



SUMMAftT, J77ZT /, f87f* 

Hector — Rev. Charles H. W. Stocking. 

Wardens — Messrs. George Arnold and Chauncey 
W. Clarke. 

Vestrymen — Messrs. William F. Holmes, James 
Brown, R. D. Kellogg, Virgil C. Goodwin, Dwight 
Knapp, James W. Kelly, Sylvester P. Robins, E. 
Henry Scrantom, and F. G. Ranney, clerk. 

8. 8. Superintendent — Rector. 

Assistant Superintendent — S. F. Witherspoon.. 

No. of Scholars— -250. 

No. of Communicants — 250. 



CHRIST'S CHURCH. 



Recognizing the necessity of another Episcopal 
church on the east side of the river, several prominent 
members of Saint Luke' s church, together with a few 
from Grace church, obtaining the consent of the rec- 
tors of the city parishes, met and organized, with the 
following officers : Silas 0. Smith and David Hoyt, 
wardens (both deceased) ; Andrew J. Brackett, D. B. 
Beach, D. M. Dewey, John Fairbanks, J. M. Winston, 
Charles R. Babbitt, Delos Wentworth, and Edward 
M. Smith, vestrymen. 

The first services of the newly organized parish 
were held in Palmer's Hall, on Sunday, April 29, 
1855, the Rev. Benjamin Watson, of Saint Luke's, 
officiating. Upon nomination of Bishop DeLancey, 
the Rev. Henry A. Neely, of Utica, now Bishop of 
Maine, was elected rector of the parish. 

Mr. Neely continued the rectorship until the autumn 
of 1862, when, to the great regret of those among 
whom he had labored so earnestly for seven years, he 
resigned the parish, and accepted the chaplaincy of 
Hobart college, Geneva. 

He was succeeded by Rev. Anthony Schuyler, 
D.D., of Saint John's church, Oswego, and during 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 113 

his efficient ministry the Congregation steadily in- 
creased. His health requiring a change of climate, he 
accepted a call to Grace church, Orange, New Jersey, 
in 1867. 

The third rector of the church is Walton W. Bat- 
tershall, of Ravenswood, Long Island, the present in- 
cumbent. 

The favorable location of the church, and the energy 
and enterprise which, through all its history, have 
characterized the parish, have, by the grace of God, 
given it an almost unprecedented growth, and made it 
an efficient instrument of christian work. During the 
pastorate of its first rector the church was enlarged to 
double its previous capacity, and a chapel for the 
Sunday school was built, adjoining the church. Un- 
der the rectorship of the Rev. Dr. Schuyler a tower 
was added to the church edifice. Within the last two 
years extensive improvements have been made in the 
interior of the church, and a rectory has been built on 
the lot adjoining the church lawn. 

In June, 1870, by the advice and support of several 
laymen, the Rev. Mr. Battershall called the Rev. 
Daniel Flack, formerly of the cathedral of Our Mer- 
ciful Saviour, at Fairbault, Minn., to take the charge 
of the parish school and the mission work of the parish 
in the twelfth ward.* 

* In June, 1871, the mission, 'with the cordial consent and favor of the 
vestry of Christ's church, became an independent parish, under the name of 
Saint Clement's church and the rectorship of the Rev. Daniel Flack. A 
valuable lot has been purchased, and measures are being taken for the erec- 
tion of a church edifice during the coming year. 



114 CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

RECTORS. 

Rev. Henry Adams Neely, D.D., was born at Fay- 
etteville, 1ST. Y.; was educated at Jubilee college, Illi- 
nois, and Hobart college, Geneva, where he received 
his academic titles of A.M. and D.D.; was ordained 
priest in Calvary church, Utica, June 18, 1854, of which 
church he was assistant rector for nearly three years,, 
when he accepted a call to become first rector of 
Christ' s church, Rochester, in August, 1855, of which, 
parish he retained the charge for seven years, when he 
was appointed first chaplain of his alma mater at 
Geneva. From that position he became assistant min- 
ister of Trinity church, New York, with the charge of 
Trinity chapel, and finally was elected second Bishop 
of Maine, and was consecrated June 25, 1867. Untir- 
ing industry with ardent zeal and devotion to his call- 
ing have carried Dr. Neely onward step by step to the 
highest position in the church of which he is a worthy 
diocesan. His residence is Portland, Maine. 

Rev. Anthony Schuyler, D.D., is a native of Seneca, 
Ontario county, 1ST. Y. ; a graduate of Hobart college,, 
Geneva ; and practiced law for ten years. His theo- 
logical studies were pursued under the direction of 
Dr. Walker, of Ithaca. His first rectorship was at 
Penn Yan ; then at Oswego for ten years ; when he 
came to Rochester as second rector of Christ' s church, 
being installed October 1, 1862, and resigning July 1, 
1868, to the regret of his parishioners, and assumed a 
pastorate at Orange, 1ST. J., which position he now 
holds with the same ability and acceptance that char- 
acterized him here and elsewhere. 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER, llfr 

Rev. Walton W. Battershall was born at Troy, N. Y. ; 
graduated at Yale college in 1864, and at the General 
Theological seminary, New York, in 1867; was for a 
year and a half assistant minister of Zion chnrch, in 
that city, and in 1868 accepted the rectorship of Saint 
Thomas's chnrch, Ravenswood, L. I., whence he re- 
moved to Rochester, and was installed rector of" 
Christ's chnrch January 1, 1869, which important post 
he now holds with the cordial unanimity of the parish, 
which, during his administration, has increased by 
one-half its present number of communicants. 



SUMMARY, JUZT /, f87f. 

Rector— Rev. Walton W. Battershall. 

Wardens — Delos Wentworth, Edward M. Smith. 

Vestrymen— Q. E. Upton, D. M. Dewey, A. Bur- 
bank, J. H. JSTellis, W. H. Shepard, W. J. Ashley, 
J. Moreau Smith, Curtis Clark, Charles W. Hardy,, 
clerk. 

& & Superintendent — William J. Ashley. 

No. of Communicants — 410. 

S. S. Teachers— 26. 

S. $. Scholars— 200. 

Report of mission not included in above. 



GOOD SHEPHERD. 



During the pastorate of the Rev. Dr. Claxton, rec- 
tor of Saint Luke's (in 1863-4), a mission of that 
parish was established, and a chapel built on Gfrape 
street. On the 3d of March, 1869, this was organized 
as a separate parish, by the Rev. Henry Anstice, suc- 
cessor of Dr. Claxton, under the title of the church of 
the Good Shepherd. The first wardens were Messrs. 
John Greenwood and George Cummings. The first 
vestrymen were Messrs. Thomas Thompson, Thomas 
Tamblingson, William Attridge, Jr. , Samuel Attridge, 
C. H. Finch, Robert G. Newman, William Webb, 
and Walter Williamson. 

EECTOES. 

Rev. Jacob Miller, resigned September 1, 1869. 

Rev. J. Newton Spear, resigned on account of ill 
health. Resides at Altoona, Pa. 

Rev. James S. Barnes, came from and returned to 
Brooklyn. 

Rev. Frederick Walter Raikes, a native of England 
and a student in Germany. After having a pastoral 
charge at Tonawanda, IN". Y., and being an assistant 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 117 

minister of Grace church, Lockport, he was ordained to 
the priesthood by Bishop Coxe, and installed rector 
of the church of the Good Shepherd. 



Rector — Rev. Frederick Walter Raikes. 

Wardens — John W. Greenwood, George Cum- 
mings. 

Vestrymen — Messrs. Robert G. Newman, Thomas 
Thompson, Thomas Tamblingson, William Attridge, 
Jr., William Webb, Thomas Baxendale, George Thorn, 
and Samuel Attridge. 

S. S. Superintendent — Rector, assisted by John W„ 
Greenwood. 

Wo. of S. S. Scholars— 145. 

JVb. of Communicants — 30. 



METHODIST. 



FIRST, ASBURY, NORTH STREET, 

ALEXANDER STREET, CORNHILL, FRANK 

STREET, GERMAN, ZION. 



Methodism lias been quaintly though not inaptly 
styled "religion on horse-back," being the pioneer 
corps of the sacramental army. When Wesley and 
his associates forsook the social attractions and schol- 
astic halls of London and Oxford, to ''preach Christ 
and Him crucified" to the miners 'of Cornwall, New- 
castle, and like semi-barbaric regions of England and 
Wales, they exemplified what was in their minds to 
be the characteristic feature of the society they estab- 
lished. As a rare exception, Methodists were in Roch- 
ester preceded by Presbyterians and Episcopalians. 
This arose from the fact that the pioneer immigrants 
were from New England and Maryland, and brought 
with them their religious sentiments and their eccle- 
siastical forms of worship. 

The first Methodist meeting was held in June, 1817, 
in the dwelling house of Fabritius Reynolds, which 
stood near to the intersection of Fitzliugh street with 
Buffalo street, the service being conducted by Elder 
Elisha House. 

These informal services were held in private dwell- 



122 CHUECHES OF EOCHESTEE. 

ings and school houses up to September 20, 1820, when 
the First Methodist Episcopal church of Rochester 
was organized, with the following trustees : Messrs. 
Frederick Clark, Abelard Reynolds, Elam Smith, Dan. 
RK)we, and Nathaniel Draper. The edifice first erect- 
ed stood on the corner of South St. Paul street, the 
lot being presented by Messrs. Elisha Johnson and 
Enos Stone. The building committee were Messrs. N. 
Draper, B. Hall, and R. Beach. The size and locality 
of this structure became so inadequate and inconven- 
ient that it was resolved to erect a building with more 
room, to accommodate the increasing attendance, and 
nearer the center of population. As the result of such 
united purpose, but with very large pecuniary sacri- 
fice, the massive and spacious stone edifice was erect- 
ed on the corner of Fitzhugh and Buffalo streets. 
This sanctuary was dedicated to the worship of Je- 
hovah in the fall of 1831, but on the 5th of January, 
1835, became a mass of burned and unsightly ruins. 
There being no insurance, the loss was peculiarly 
heavy and depressing. But the public sympathy was 
deeply awakened, which expressed itself in the influx 
of money and other donations sufficient to rebuild at 
once, and another of great attractiveness took its place, 
and stood till the land was sold, and another struct- 
ure was built a little to the north ; the dedication ser- 
mon being preached by Rev. Dr. Reid, then president 
of Genesee college, Lima. 

A division of the society being deemed advisable, 
another organization was formed September 26, 1836, 
and a church edifice of stone erected on the corner of 
Main and Clinton streets, which was dedicated in 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 123 

February, 1843 ; the oiiiiciating clergymen being Rev. 
Drs. John Dempster and Samuel Luckey. This socie- 
ty was afterwards merged in the Asbury M. E. church, 
which was organized under its new and present name 
February 1, 1860. Great improvements have recently 
been made in the audience room of the building, ren- 
dering it very commodious and attractive. 

In March, 1852, Aristarchus Champion, Esq., gave 
to the Methodist denomination 810.000, to be used in 
building four church edifices in the suburbs of the 
city. Of this generous sum 82,000 were donated to 
aid in erecting the North street church, near the cor- 
ner of North and Hudson streets, which was dedicated 
November 2, 1853 ; the sermon being preached by 
Rev. Schuyler Seager, D.D. This ecclesiastical or- 
ganization had been in existence since March, 1819, 
under the name of the North street M. E. church of 
Rochester. 

Another appropriation was made to aid in erecting 
what is the Alexander street church, on the corner of 
Alexander and Cobb streets, which was dedicated in 
the autumn of 1853, by Bishop E. S. Janes, D.D. 

The Cornhill church was organized June 8, 1852, 
the above fund aiding essentially toward erecting the 
edifice that stands on Edinburgh street, near Plymouth 
avenue. 

The Sixth M. E. church was organized December 17, 
1852, under the impulse and practical encouragement 
derived from Mr. Champion's munificent gift. Its 
place of worship, on the corner of Smith and Frank 
streets, was dedicated in 1853, by Rev. J. S. Peck, D.D. 

N. B. — It should be understood that while the noble 



124 CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER, 

benefaction of Mr. Champion called some of these 
churches into being, and was of admitted importance 
in the way of encouragement, the amount in each case 
was but a small proportion of what was required to 
complete the structure. 

NAMES OF METHODIST MINISTERS WHO HAVE BEEN 
STATIONED IN ROCHESTER, 

Reverend Messrs. 

Orren Miller, C} 7 rus Story, 

Reuben Aylesworth, Elisha House, 

Mica Seager, Isaac Puffer, 

John Dempster, Zechariah Paddock, 

Gideon Lanning, Gleason Fillmore, 

Robert Burch, Elijah Hebard, 

John Copeland, Allen Steele, 

Daniel P. Kidder, D.D., Wilbur Hoag, 

Jonas Dodge, Thomas Carlton, 

Moses Crow, Samuel Luckey, D.D., 

Schuyler Seager, D.D., John Dennis, 

John Gr. Gulick, A. C. George, 

Jonathan Watts, D. D. Buck, D.D., 

Israel H. Kellogg, John Parker, 
William H. Goodwin, D.D., LL.D., 

Manly Tooker, J. M. Fuller, 

W. W. Mandeville, John Raines, 

Thomas Tousey, Thomas Stacey, 

D.W.C.Huntington,D.D., James E. Latimer, D.D.„ 

F. G. Hibbard, D.D., Elijah Wood, 

Henry VanBenschoten, E. J. Hermans, 

D. Leisenring, A. H. Shurtleff, 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 125 

M. f Wheeler, Nathan Fellows, 

John N. Brown, Alpha Wight, 

S. W. Alden, George W. Chandler, 

R. Hogoboom, William Manning, 

Thomas B. Hudson, S. L. Congdon, 

S. YanBenschoten, S. B. Rooney, 

George W. Paddock, W. B. Holt, 

Albert 1ST. Fisher, Isaac Gibbard, 

J. Ashworth, George VanAlstyne. 

While all have been men of devotion to their sacred 
calling, and had much success in " winning souls to 
Christ," several of them have occupied, and still hold, 
a large place in public esteem, for scholarship and offi- 
cial station in church and state. As illustrations : 

Rev. Daniel P. Kidder, D.D., a graduate of Wesley - 
an university, Conn., went as a missionary to Brazil, 
S. A., where he resided three years ; travelled exten- 
sively from San Piulo to the equator ; distributed bi- 
bles and various christian books, and preached the first 
sermon on the waters of the Amazon. Returning to 
the United States he published two volumes, entitled 
" Sketches of residence in Brazil," and, conjointly 
with Rev. J. C. Fletcher, "Brazil and the Brazilians," 
both of them well received by the literary and relig- 
ious public, doing much to awaken an interest which 
has embodied itselt in the present successful missions 
to those distant and needy regions. As a preacher, 
scholar, and author, Dr. Kidder occupies a high posi- 
tion in public regard. 

Rev. Freeborn G. Hibbard, D.D., is a native of New 
Rochelle, ~N. Y. ; commenced public life at the early 
age of eighteen, and has repeatedly held the highest 



126 . CHURCHES OF EOCHESTEE. 

positions in the gift of his church associates. As 
ediior of the Northern Christian Advocate, and autnor 
of " Baptism, its Import and Efficacy," " Geography 
and History of Palestine," and the " Psalms Chrono- 
logically Arranged," Dr. Hibbard has displayed, as 
in his pulpit discourses, a well disciplined mind, pro- 
found scholarship, and accurate acquaintance with 
Bible truths. As a preacher, he is always listened to 
with interest and profit. 

Rev. Zachariah Paddock, D.D., was born in Mont- 
gomery county, N. Y. ; when licensed, was placed on 
the Ontario district ; was ordained by the late Bishop 
Roberts, at Vienna (now Phelps) ; has been in charge 
of most of the stations in central and western New 
York, among them Buffalo, Rochester, Ithaca, Auburn, 
Utica, &c. ; held the office of presiding elder eighteen 
years, and is now at Binghamton. Though not a 
college graduate, he was studious and a master of 
many literary departments, all which attainments he 
has used to good effect with pen and voice. Benevo- 
lent and genial, he has many ardent friends in central 
and western New York, where for nearly half a cen- 
tury he has been abundant in labors to build up Zion, 
and spread scriptural holiness through the land. 

Rev. Gleason Fillmore was born in Bennington, Vt. 
In 1818 he is found preaching at Buffalo and Black 
Rock, multitudes thronging to hear him. The most 
remarkable years of his ministry were spent in Roch- 
ester, in 1830-1, when a revival occurred, which added 
nine hundred to the church in this region. His manly 
figure, powerful voice, and earnest utterances, made 
him a favorite preacher at camp meetings, executions, 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 127 

and other public gatherings. He now resides near 
Buffalo. 

Eev. John Dempster, D.D., was born in Florida, 
Fulton county, N. Y., his father being a native of 
Scotland, and for a time a follower of Wesley, though 
at the time of his death of and in the Presbyterian 
church. The subject of this sketch was converted at 
a camp meeting, and thenceforth was devoted to Christ 
with unabated and intense zeal. A hard student in 
early life, he became a "master in Israel." Being 
admitted to the general conference in 1816, his circuit 
was a vast wilderness, with fatigues and perils 
innumerable. The places he served were Watertown, 
Scipio, Homer, Auburn, Rochester, &c, where his 
resistless logic and sweeping eloquence are well re- 
membered by the pioneer dwellers. Failing in health 
he spent six years in Buenos Ay res, S. A., and in 
1842 became pastor of a church in New York. A 
surgical operation terminated his life in November, 
18H- ; " and his end was peace." 

Rev. Samuel Luckey, D.D., was born in Renselaer- 
ville, N. Y., his first circuit being in Ottawa, Lower 
Canada, then at St. Francis, in the same province, 
subsequently in Easton, N. Y., and New England, 
then in and around Albany, Troy, Schenectady, &c. 
For four years he was principal of Genesee seminary 
at Lima, and then editor of the Christian Advocate, 
at New York. Returning to itineracy, we find him in 
the metropolis, then on the Genesee conference, where 
he remained till his death in Rochester city, October 
11, 1869, being at the time of his decease chaplain of 
the city penitentiary. " His fame is in all the churches, 



128 CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

standing unsullied by any exceptional event of a 
moral, doctrinal, or ecclesiastical aberration, during 
the rare ministerial period of fifty-eight years. " He 
was a regent of the State university. 

William Henry Goodwin, D.D., LL.D., is a native 
of Trumansburgh, N. Y. ; was educated at Lima, and 
received scholastic degrees at Hobart college, Geneva, 
and Dickenson college, Penn. He has been an active 
pastor for twenty- seven years, and presiding elder for 
seven years. During the winter of 1855-6 Dr. Goodwin 
represented his district in the senate of New York 
State, returning to his home in Geneva each Sunday, 
and officiating on the Sabbath. During the second 
winter of the term he admitted one hundred to church 
membership on profession of their faith, travelling 
weekly six hundred miles, and not being once absent 
from his seat at the capital. In the year 1865 he was 
chosen regent of the State, and took a leading part in 
the late Methodist convocation at Syracuse. His pub- 
lished writings have been of rather a fugative charac- 
ter, the most important being a speech on the " natur- 
alization laws," an oration at Lima in 1852, and on 
Decoration Day. 



A vast German (Methodist) population, unused to 
any but their own language, are scattered all through 
the land. Though under the supervision of the 
Bishops of the Methodist church, they have a confer- 
ence of their own, and are served by ministers of the 
German tongue. That in this city is entitled First 
Oerman Methodist Episcopal church, and is located 
on the corner of North and Tyler streets. It was or- 



CHURCHES OF EOCIIESTEK, 129 

ganized in 1848, and has had as its ministers : Revs. 
John Sawter, John J. Crau, Jacob Kindler, Charles 
Afflerbaoh, A. C. Hortel, F. G. Gratz (twice), C. Blunn, 
J. G. Lutz, J. Kolb, and Paul Quatlander. 

Zion chnrch (Methodist), now located on the corner 
of Spring and Favor streets, was organized in 1835, 
and has had a checquered career, though now pros- 
perous. The pastors have been : Revs. Isaac Steward, 
the early founder ; Henry Johnson, deceased ; John 
P. Thompson, Dempsy Kennedy, William S. Bishop, 
bishop, now in Newark, ET. J. ; John A. Williams, 

Thomas, James H. Smith, William Sandford, 

William Abbott, and Thomas James, the present in- 
cumbent. 

From this church there entered the ministry Ger- 
man Logan, now a bishop, and resides at Syracuse. 

Another church was organized in 1867, under the 
pastoral charge of Rev. William Edwards. The trus- 
tees being Messrs. Austin Steward, Peter Stockton, 
George Washington, David Winer, and Benjamin 
Jointer. This has been disbanded and the house of 
worship sold. 

Prominent among the people of color was Austin 
Steward, whose autobiography, entitled "Twenty- 
Two Years a Slave, and Forty a Freeman," published 
by William Ailing, in 1867, is a volume of much inter- 
est and well entitled to the recommendatory note 
signed by leading citizens, and a letter from ex-Gov- 
ernor Clark, of Canandaigua, and Edwin Scrantom, 
Esq., of this city. Mr. Steward was a man of much 
intellectual ability, great energy of character, and un- 
daunted heroism in what he deemed the path of duty. 



130 CHUKCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

Whoever questioned his judgement, few, if any, 
doubted his honesty of aim. In mind, heart, and life, 
Mr. Steward was no common man. 

Mr. John W. Bishop has a pleasant home on 
Adams street, where the writer spent a recent hour 
gathering the material for this brief but important 
chapter. 

SUMMAftr, JZTZT ?, ?87?. 

First— Rev. W. Loyd. 

S. S. Superintendent — James Vick. 

Asbary— Rev. F. G. Hibbard, D.D. 
S. S. Superintendent — A. Manderville. 

Cornhill — Rev. R. 0. Wilson. 

S. S. Superintendent — N". L. Button. 

Alexander Street — Rev. J. D. Requa. 
S. S. Superintendent — A. P. Ross. 

North Street— Rev. J. "N. Brown. 
S. S. Superintendent — G-. P. Davis. 

First German — Rev. Paul Quatlander. 
S. S. Superintendents. U. Flad. 

Zion {Colored) — Rev. Thomas James. 
S. S. Superintendent— John Weir. 

Aggregate of Communicants — 1,500. 



BAPTIST. 



FIEST CHURCH. 



Previous to the year 1816, a few Baptists residing in 
the neighboring town of Brighton met in private 
houses for religious worship, under the leadership of 
Elders Drake and Lamb. Out of this company sprang 
an association which was formally organized in June, 
1817, the place of gathering being a barn belonging to 
Deacon Graves, about three and a half miles from the 
present city. The members thus joined in covenant 
were Deacon Amos and Mrs. Anne Graves, Mr. Ira 
and Mrs. Sperry, Mr. Johnson and Mrs. Sperry, Mr. 
John and Mrs. Reynolds, Deacon Tenny, and Mrs. 
Urana M. Kennedy. The ministers assisting at this 
inauguration were Elders Lamb, Bramin, Brown, and 
Tinney, with Mr. Immer Reynolds as clerk. Such 
was the infancy of an ecclesiastical organization which 
now catalogues its hundreds of members, and has 
founded an University and a Theological seminary 
which reflect high honor upon the founders, are a 
credit to the city, and a blessing to the world. 

Destitution of any place of worship seriously im- 
peded early advancement, as it prevented many from 
joining the body who were one with them in doctrine, 
education, and early usage. The infant church at 



134 CHUKCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

length engaged the services of Rev. E. M. Spencer, a 
teacher in Middlebnry academy, "the eloqence of 
whose address awakened sanguine hopes that he 
would be extensively useful in the then rising village. " 
Inability of support compelled him to resign in less 
than a year after settlement. He was succeeded, in 
1823, by Rev. Eleazer Savage, during whose able and 
faithful ministry of three years the communicants in- 
creased from thirty-five to eighty-five in number. 
After the resignation of Mr. Savage, the prayers and 
labors of the laity were rewarded by seeing constant 
additions, so that when Rev. O. C. Comstock, M.D., 
came he found a people ready to cooperate in his zealous 
efforts for their spirituality, prosperity, and growth. 
After some delay and much pecuniary sacrifice, pur- 
chase was made of the edifice on Carroll (now State) 
street which the Presbyterians had left for their new 
home in rear of the court house. It was here that in 
1831 the Lord so signally blest His truth that during 
twelve months one hundred and fifty were added by 
baptism and fifty-three by letter. Among the many 
whom Dr. Comstock had the privilege of welcoming 
to the Lord's table was a gifted son, who abandoned 
a promising career at the bar, devoted himself to the- 
ology, went to Burmah as a missionary, where he and 
his sainted wife lie buried on Pagan soil — a noble 
sacrifice upon the altar of Christ and souls. Upon 
the retirement of Dr. Comstock, through ill health, 
Rev. Pharcellus Church, D.D,, took his place, during 
whose administration (in 1839) the edifice on North 
Fitzhugh street was built, which, though plain in out- 
ward appearance, holds an oftimes thronged assembly 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 135 

of worshipers. This is now giving place to another 
on the same site, to cost $125,000. The lecture room 
is now completing, and will be ready for occupancy 
before summer closes. The deacons, at the time of 
dedication, were Messrs. John Watts, Oren Sage, and 
John Jones ; the trustees were Messrs. E. F. Smith, 
John Jones, John Watts, Oren Sage, and Charles 
Smith, with Mr. H. B. Sherman as clerk. Messrs. 
A. Gr. Smith, H. L. Achilles, Myron Strong, Edwin 
Pancost, George Davison, Charles Hubbell, and Ellery 
S. Treat have held important offices. Succeeding Dr. 
Church were Rev. Justin A. Smith (1849—1853), Rev. 
Jacob R. Scott (1855—1858), Rev. Richard M. Scott 
(1859), and the present incumbent. 

PASTORS. 

Rev. Eleazer Savage, a native of Middletown, Conn., 
and graduate of Hamilton Literary and Theological 
seminary, became the first settled pastor of the Bap- 
tist church in Rochester in the year 1823, and resigned 
after a short time to become pastor at Medina, Os- 
wego, Albion, Holley, York, and Bath. He now re- 
sides at Fairport, spending the last days of a long and 
useful career on earth, his ministry having ever be<^n 
earnest, faithful, and replete with blessed results. 

Rev. Oliver C. Comstock, M.D., was a native of 
Rhode Island, and son of the late Hon. Adam Com- 
stock, of Saratoga, a jurist of eminent ability and 
large repute. His education was limited to the com- 
mon school and home. The University of New York 
having conferred upon him the degree of M.D., he 



136 CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

practiced medicine for eight years at Trumansburgh ; 
was appointed first judge of Seneca county, then 
State legislator, and Congressman for three terms, de- 
clining a fourth nomination that he might enter the 
ministry. He was ordained at Washington, D. C. ; 
ministered at Ulysses and Ithaca ; became pastor of 
the First Baptist church in this city in 1827, where he 
remained till May, 1835, when he resigned ; was elect- 
ed chaplain of the House of Representatives, and 
then removed to Marshall, Mich., where he held sev- 
eral positions of public trust and honor. The closing 
days of his long, eventful, and useful life were spent 
under the roof of his son, M. C. Comstock, M.D., go- 
ing to his heavenly rest at the advanced age of seventy- 
nine. An obituary notice, taken from a Marshall 
journal, commences thus : "A truly great and good 
man has fallen." It was remarked by one who knew 
him well that "Dr. Comstock never had an enemy." 
"The memory of the just is blessed." 

Rev. Pharcellus Church, D.D., was born in Seneca, 
near Geneva, Ontario county, N. Y., and commenced 
his ministry in "Vermont, passing thence to Providence, 
R. I., being then transferred to New Orleans, from 
whence he came to Rochester in September, 1835, and 
resigned after an able and successful pastorate of the 
First Baptist church for thirteen years. During this 
period nearly one thousand persons were added to the 
church by baptism and letter. In 1848 Dr. Church 
removed to Boston and took charge of the Bowdoin 
Baptist church, which ill health compelled him to re- 
sign, and from 1855 to '65 he edited the Chronicle, of 
New York. Dr. Church has been a voluminous and 



CHTTKCHES OF KOCHESTEK. 137 

popular author. Among his published works are 
" Philosophy of Benevolence," "Religious Dissen- 
sions," "Antioch," ' ' Pentecost, " .with a multitude of 
pamphlets, etc. While here he interested him self- 
much and practically in organizing the University,, 
though leaving before he was privileged to see the re- 
sults of his arduous and self-sacrificing labors in that- 
direction. 

Rev. Justin A. Smith, D.D., is a native of Ticon- 
deroga, 1ST. Y., and graduate of Union college, Sche- 
nectady. His pastorate of the First Baptist churclL 
began in the autumn of 1849, and continued four years, 
when he removed to Chicago, 111., and became editor 
of the Christian Times, now styled the Standard, the 
denominational organ for the north-west, which he has 
conducted these eighteen years with marked ability 
and success. Associated with his editorial labors has 
been the charge of a city church, making his life one 
of labor and responsibility, but of extensive influence 
and much usefulness. 

Rev. Jacob R. Scott, a native of Massachusetts ; 
graduated at Brown university and Newton Theologi- 
cal seminary; was settled at Petersburgh, Ya., from, 
whence he came to Rochester in 1855, and remained 
three years, when he removed to Yonkers, N. Y. t 
where he died. 

Rev. Richard M. Nott was born in Nashua, N. H. ; 
graduated at Colby university, Maine ; was ordained 
pastor of First Baptist church, Rochester, October 12, 
1859 ; resigned October, 1865 ; settled in Aurora, 111., 
in 1869, where he now resides. 

Rev. Henry E. Robins, D.D., was born in Hartford,. 



138 CHUECHES OF EOCHESTEE. 

Conn. ; graduated at Newton Theological seminary ; 
ministered to a church at Newport, R. I. ; came to this 
city, and was installed pastor of the First Baptist 
church in 1867. 

MINISTERS AND MISSIONAEIES FEOM THIS CHUECH. 

Rev. Zenas Freeman, deceased. 
Rev. Grover S. Comstock, missionary to Burmah, 
deceased. 

Rev. Joshua Ambrose, Michigan. 

Rev. Mies Kinne, Wisconsin. 

Rev. J. W. Spoor, New York city. 

Rev. Stephen W. Tower, New Jersey. 

Rev. Augustus H. Strong, D.D., Cleveland, Ohio. 

Rev. Robert J. McArthur, New York. 

Rev. Ezra Zeburn, Rochester. 

Rev. William L. Lisle, Massachusetts, 



SUMMARY, J77ZT /, 187*. 

Pastor— Rev. Henry E. Robins, D.D. 

Deacons — Messrs. E. F. Smith, H. N. Langworthy, 
Alvah Strong, William N. Sage, L. R. Satterlee, Al- 
fred G. Mudge, S. A. Ellis, J. O. Pettengill, and Aus- 
tin H. Cole. 

Cleric— Henry W. Dean. 

Assistant Clerk — Henry S. Dean. 

S. S. Superintendent— -S. A. Ellis, with assistants 
A. R. Pritchard and E. R. Andrews. 

Secretary and Treasurer— A.. S. Lane. 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 139 

Librarians — Henry S. Dean and W. Lincoln Sage. 
ScJiolars — 475. 
Communicants — 712. 



OUT-STATIONS. 

In connection with the First Baptist church is the 
Memorial Baptist Mission chapel, located on Lake 
avenue. This was commenced as a mission chapel in 
1865, and became a distinct and separate organization 
in March, 1871, with one hundred and two members. 
The Sabbath school contains four hundred scholars, 
under the superintendence of Mr. D. A. Woodbury. 
The deacons are Messrs. Edwin Waite, D. A. Wood- 
bury, and S. Glass. 

Also, St. Paul street Mission, established in 1868, 
having a Sabbath school with three hundred scholars 
and three teachers. 

Also, stations at Hanford' s Landing, hereafter to be 
conducted by the Lake avenue church ; and one on 
the Lyle road. 



SECOND CHUKCH. 



At the beginning of the year 1834, it became the 
settled conviction of many members of the First Bap- 
tist church, that a new organization was necessary to 
meet the wants of the rapidly enlarging territory and 
ever increasing population. Accordingly on the 26th 
of February, 1834, fifty-six (56) persons were dis- 
missed, to form a new interest on the east side of the 
river. Of the founders there, are now living and in 
fellowship, David R. and Sarah M. Barton, Emeline 
Sheik, and Lydia A. Evans. 

The Third Presbyterian church edifice, located on 
the corner of Main and Clinton streets, being then in 
market, was purchased, and the organization perfect- 
ed on the 12th of May, 1834, under the title of the 
Second Baptist church of Rochester. The occasion 
was deepened in interest by the fact that on the day 
of organization Grover S. Comstock (son of the late 
Rev. O. Comstock, D.D.) was ordained a missionary 
to Burmah, whither he and his devoted wife went, 
never to return to their native country ; and Zenas 
Freeman was set apart to the work of an evangelist. 

On the night of December 10, 1859, this house of 
worship was consumed by fire, but another erected on 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 141 

North street, near Main, during the year 1861, at an 
expense of $40,000, and far superior for size, commo- 
diousness, and commanding attractions. This church 
has been ably ministered to by the following 

PASTORS. 

Rev. Elon Galusha, of Hamilton, N. Y., whose 
very acceptable services covered three years, when he 
resigned to become financial officer of Brockport col- 
lege. He died at Brockport, January 4, 1856. 

Rev. Elisha Tucker was installed January 1, 1837, 
and under his faithful ministry a revival occurred 
which added fifty persons to the communion. He re- 
signed in 1841, removed to New York city, and died 
in 1853. 

Rev. Y. R. Hotchkiss became pastor April 26, 1842, 
and before the close of the year a revival resulted in 
the conversion of one hundred and forty-three per- 
sons (eighty-three of whom were from the Sunday 
school). In 1845 he resigned, and is now pastor of 
Washington street church, Buffalo. 

Rev. Charles Thompson came in 1846 and left in less 
than a year, to become pastor of the Tabernacle 
church, which had a brief existence on St, Paul street. 
He is now pastor in Fredonia, 

Rev. Henry Davis remained but a year and went to 
another field, leaving behind "the blessings of the 
poor and sorrowing for his kind attentions, and the 
gratitude of the church and community for the ur- 
banity of his manners, and devotion to his calling." 

Rev. W. Gf. Howard, D.D., commenced his labors 



142 CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

in the autumn of 1851, and was much blest in leading 
many to Christ. After a pastorate of six years he 
moved to Chicago, and then to New Orleans, where he 
died in 1863. 

Rev. George Dana Boardman, D.D., is a native of 
Tavany Burma. His parents, the late Rev. George 
Dana Boardman and Sarah Hall (subsequently Mrs. 
Judson), occupy a prominent place on the page of 
modern foreign missions. Graduating at Brown uni- 
versity, R-. I., and Newton Theological seminary, 
Mass., he passed a brief period at Barnwell Court 
House, S. C, when he assumed pastoral charge of 
this church October, 1856, occupying the same for 
eight years, when he left to preside over the First 
Baptist church of Philadelphia. In the departure of 
Dr. Boardman, Rochester lost a preacher, lecturer, 
and citizen of prominent ability and repute. Long 
will he be remembered for peculiar fascination as an 
orator, and varied acquirements as a public teacher. 

Rev. J. H. Gilmore was installed October 1, 1865, 
but resigned after three years to take the chair of the 
Theological seminary in the city university. 

Rev. T. Edwin Brown, of Brooklyn, commenced 
his labors November 1, 1869, which he meets with an 
ability and acceptance not at all behind his able pred- 
ecessors. 

If ever a church and parish had cause for gratitude 
to God for well qualified religious guides, this has in 
the persons of the nine who have stood, trumpet in 
hand, upon the walls of this part of the christian 
zion. The fifty-six who constituted the original mem- 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 143 

bership have arisen to five hundred, deducting deaths 
and removals. 



summary, jzrzr i, /87f. 

Pastor — Rev. L. Edwin Brown. 

Deacons — Messrs. D. R. Barton, Thomas Johnson, 
A. Moseley, M. G. Seely, and William Richardson. 

8. S. Superintendent — Mr. George W. Rawson, 
Mrs. Adolphns Morse. 

No. of Teachers — 51. 

No. of Scholars— 600. 

Trustees — Messrs. John M. French, George Brown, 
C. B. Woodworth, E. D. Tracy, D. R. Barton, and 
Charles H. Williams. 

No. of Communicants — 570. 



GEEMAN CHUECH. 



In 1848-9 several German Baptists came from New 
York and other places to this city, when they com- 
menced holding meetings by themselves in private 
dwellings and in school house number ten, on Fitzhugh 
street. Their services were conducted first by Mr. 
G. Englehard, a colporteur of the American Tract 
society, and afterwards by Eev. C. Boos, of Warrens- 
ville, Penn., who labored here nine months, and Eev. 
J. Eschman, of New York, who spent a few weeks, 
and by others at different intervals, and for less 
periods of time. 

In October, 1850, Mr. Henry Henrich came to the 
city from Buffalo, and because of his efficiency and 
success in collecting and cementing these scattered 
elements, may be styled the founder of the present 
organization, the German Baptist church. On the 
29th of June, 1851, the body was regularly organ- 
ized, and recognized by the related judicatories, 
Eev. Mr. Henrich being ordained as first pastor. 
Among the constituent members were Messrs. John 
Doppler, Jacob Bopser, Conrad Leppler, and Joseph 
Eichard. During the pastorate of Eev. Mr. Henrich, 
many persons were added to the church by baptism 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 145 

and letter, a large portion of whom migrated from 
time to time to the west, several being excluded 
from fellowship through unfaithfulness to their cove- 
nant obligations. In October, 1858, Rev. Mr. Hen- 
rich removed to Anthony, Lycoming county, Pa. 
Rev. Prof. A. Rauschenbusch, of the Rochester The- 
ological seminary, supplying the pulpit for about six 
months, when Rev. Gerhard Koopman was pastor for 
a brief time, who was succeeded, in 1863, by Rev. 
Henry Schneider, and he, in 1865, by Rev. Henry 
Tschirch, the present occupant. 

When the church was first organized, services were 
held in a hall on Ann street, near State. After a few 
years purchase was made of school house number ten, 
on Andrews street, which is now taking down and an 
edifice of brick erecting, to cost about $8,000. 

This church is ecclesiastically connected with the 
Monroe Baptist Association. The German students 
at the Theological seminary (generally about twelve 
in number), worship here, and render valuable aid in 
social meetings and in Sabbath schools. 



SUMMARY, JZTLT 1, f87f. 

Pastor — Rev. Earnest Tschirch. 

Beacons — Messrs. Jacob Widmer, Joseph Richard, 
and George Guenther. 

S. S. Superintendent — Alexander Trzeciak. 

No. of Scholars— 100. 

Communicants — 86. 



CONGREGATIONAL. 



FIRST CHURCH. 



This organization was perfected about the year 1842, 
and that not so much on ecclesiastical grounds and 
from preference to the New England form of faith or 
worship, as from a warm sympathy of its founders in 
the anti-slavery movements of the times and with the 
acceptance by them of the doctrinal views upon sancti- 
fication, taught at Oberlin, Ohio. As the doctrine of 
christian perfection, and the ardent espousal of the 
anti-slavery cause, were the immediate occasion of 
constituting the church, so they were its characteris- 
tic features from commencement to dissolution. 

The first minister was Rev. A. S. Shaffer, from New 
Jersey, who remained between two and three years, 
when Rev. Henry E. Peck (son of Everard Peck, 
Esq.) became the ordained pastor, and so continued 
for nearly eight years. 

The church edifice was in the northern part of the 
city known as Frankfort, and the society was in a 
large measure composed of the inhabitants in that 
vicinity, with a few other earnest men and women, 
who sympathized with Oberlin views upon slavery 
and questions of theology. 

In progress of time, when abolitionism came to be 



150 CHUECHES OF ROCHESTER. 

tolerated in the churches, and Oberlinism had ceased 
to be treated as a dangerous heresy, and as a Metho- 
dist church had just been organized in the same 
suburbs of the city, there seemed no longer a special 
call for this organization to raise the cry in the wilder- 
ness, and, the Rev. Mr. Peck having been called to a 
professorship in Oberlin college, the church and soci- 
ety about the year 1851 was dissolved, and the mem- 
bers were quietly mixed with the other evangelical 
churches of the city. 

The membership was about one hundred and twen- 
ty. Leonard Hitchcock and Joseph Higgins were the 
two deacons, and were both of the " salt of the earth," 
and have gone to their reward above. The church 
served its intended purpose — its career, though brief, 
being greatly useful and honored. 



FREE CHURCH. 



Was organized in November, 1836, with five mem- 
bers, which soon increased to seventy. The first pas- 
tor was Rev. John T. Avery, and trustees were Messrs. 
John Gorton and Willis Sterns. A place of worship 
was erected on the corner of St. Paul and Division 
streets, between Main street and Saint Paul church. 



PLYMOUTH CHURCH. 



September 8, 1853, saw laid the corner-stone of 
Plymouth church, on the corner of Troup and Sophia 
streets, now called Plymouth avenue. The occasion 
called together a large concourse of citizens ; Presby- 
terian, Methodist, and Baptist clergymen taking part 
in the interesting exercises. Rev. 0. E. Daggett, D.D. , 
then of Canandaigua, delivered an appropriate ad- 
dress. The funds needful for the construction of the 
massive building were largely contributed by Aris- 
tarchus Champion, Esq., who, after its completion, 
conveyed the property by deed to the trustees, Aug- 
ust 10, 1855. An act of State incorporation was ob- 
tained, under date of April 15, 1854, and the follow- 
ing persons were elected trustees : Messrs. Aristarchus 
Champion, Freeman Clarke, Edmund Lyon, Charles 
J. Hill, William W. Ely, M.D., A. G. Bristol, M.D., 
E. H. Hollister, C. A. Burr, and Erastus Darrow. 

An ecclesiastical organization was perfected August 
21, 1855, with seventy members, of whom Ezra B. 
Booth, Eliza A. Bloss, Robert E. Brewster, Dr. A. G-. 
and Mrs. Mary G-. Bristol, Aristarchus Champion, 
Erastus Darrow, Olivia H. Dewey, Dr. L. C. and Mrs. 
Sarah Dolley, Dr. W. W. and Mrs. Sarah and Ange- 



152 CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

line Ely, Joseph Farley, Dennis Hartwell, Elizabeth 
Lee, Alice B. Peck, Galusha and Stella B. Phillipps, 
Samuel C. and Susan F. Porter, Smith R. and Lucy 
A. Sutherland, William H. and Sarah B. Thomas, 
Frederick, Matilda and Frank VanDoorn, Porter 
W. and Emeline C. Taylor are still in communion. 

On the evening of the same day the church edifice 
was dedicated to the worship of God, the sermon be- 
ing preached by Rev. Jonathan Edwards, of Woburn, 
Mass., and devotional exercises conducted by Rev. 
Drs. Daggett, of Canandaigua, Leonard Bacon, of 
New Haven, Joseph P. Thompson, of New York, 
with Rev. Messrs. J. H. Dill, E. W. Gilman, and T. 
Eddy. At a church meeting held December 10, 1855, 
Rev. Jonathan Edwards was unanimously elected 
pastor, and was installed April 18, 1856 ; the sermon 
being preached by Rev. Prof. Parks, of Andover 
(Mass.) Theological seminary. Ill health compelled a 
resignation November 2, 1862. Mr. Edwards returned 
to his native State, leaving behind universal esteem as 
a gentleman of intellectual culture, urbanity of man- 
ner, united with diligence, ability, and faithfulness as 
preacher and pastor. The pulpit was variously sup- 
plied till the unanimous call of the present incumbent, 
Rev. Dwight K. Bartlett, who was installed May 9, 1869. 

PASTORS. 

Rev. Jonathan Edwards, son of the late Justin Ed- 
wards, D.D., president of Andover Theological sem- 
inary, was born at Andover ; graduated at Yale col- 
lege and at Andover seminary ; was first settled at 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 153 

Woburn, Mass., from which place he came to Roch- 
ester, and was installed first pastor of Plymouth 
church in April, 1856, where he remained nearly seven 
years. He has now charge of the ancient church of- 
Dedham, Mass., founded in the year 1636. During, 
his pastorate in Rochester two hundred and forty 
persons united with the church. 

Rev. Dwight K. Bartlett was born in Poughkeepsie ;,• 
graduated at Union college and Princeton and Union 
Theological seminaries ; preached at Armenia, N. Y., 
and Stamford, Conn.; coming to Rochester in 1859,. 
where he labors among an attached people. 

In connection with the pastors of Plymouth church,, 
mention maybe made of another person, who, though 
never holding an official position, was so often in the 
pulpit, and so thoroughly identified with this body 
and with religion, science, and education throughout 
the city, as to merit special and emphatic record. 

Rev. Charles Dewey, D.D., LL.D., was born at' 
Sheffield, Mass. ; graduated at Williams college, of 
which institution he was an officer for seventeen years. 
During the next ten years he was president of the 
Gymnasium at Pittsfield, Mass., when, in 1836, he 
came to this city as principal of the Rochester Col- 
legiate Institute, located where now stands the Third' 
Presbyterian church, on the east side of the river,, 
and where many of our leading citizens received their, 
early education, and live to retain a grateful memory 
of their accomplished and revered teacher. In the 
year 18 — Dr. Dewey assumed the chair of Chemistry 
and Natural Philosophy in the then newly established 
University of Rochester, which he held with well 



154 CHUKCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

known repute for ten years, when lie resigned its act- 
ive duties, though still retained as Emeritus Professor. 
As a gentleman, a scholar, a teacher, a writer, and 
christian divine, Dr. Dewey was extensively known 
and universally esteemed. When, on the 15th of 
December, 1867, he expired, at his residence on Troup 
street, it was felt that Rochester had lost a gifted resi- 
dent, science an acknowledged master, the church a 
warm-hearted disciple, and his home a cherished 
head. 

SUMMAftT, J77ZT 1, 1871* 

Pastor — Rev. D wight K. Bartlett. 

Beacons — Messrs. S. D. Porter, H. M. McLean, P. 
W. Handy, and A. G. Bristol. 

Trustees — Messrs. C. J. Hill, W. 1ST. Emerson, Henry 
Brewster, Galusha Phillips, Erastus Darrow, W. W. 
Ely, M.D., B. H. Clark, S. B. Roby, O. L. Sheldon. 

8. 8. Superintendent — A. S. Hamilton. 

Scholars — 250. 

Church Membership — 300. 

Plymouth church has a colony under the title of the 
Eighth Ward Mission chapel, on the corner of Rey- 
nolds and Tremont streets. It was organized as a 
Sabbath school in February, 1867. At the present 
time it has two hundred and fifty scholars, with thirty- 
two teachers, under the superintendency of Mr. Wil- 
liam B. Levet. Cottage prayer and Bible reading 
meetings are held every Friday evening. An useful 
future is in hopeful prospect. 



SINGLE CHURCHES. 



ZION'S FIRST EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN 
CHURCH. 



This religions community was organized with twenty 
members, in the year 1834, in a frame house on Pio- 
neer street. A lot on the corner of Grove and Still- 
son streets being donated for that purpose, a spacious 
brick edifice was erected, and is the present place of 
worship. 

The Pastors have been: Rev. John Muehlauser, 
deceased ; Rev. H. G. Kempie, deceased ; Rev. A. 
Uebelacker, studying medicine ; Rev. Fred. YonRos- 
enberg, a native of Germany, and student of Berlin, 
Erlanger and Bunn, who came to this country in 1863, 
and was installed pastor in 1868, which position he now 
holds with efficiency and usefulness. 

SUMMA^r, JUZ2" /, 187?. 

Pastor — Rev. Fred. VonRosenberg. 

Elders — Messrs. Phillip Meyer, John Bohr, and 
Julius Binder. 

Deacons — Messrs. William Wagner, Peter Hartman, 
Henry Buhlmann, John Unglink, David Bartleon, 
Jacob Margrander, and Nicholas Conrad. 

S. S. Superintendent — Jesse ' Shepherd, an elder of 
the Third Presbyterian church. 

Scliolars — 450. Communicants — 1. 000. 



GERMAN UNITED EVANGELICAL 
CHURCH. 



Was organized in the year 1842. The first officers 
after the incorportion were Messrs. Lorens Raab, 
Bernhard Haid, and John G. Beck as trustees ; Carl 
Rohrig, Henry A. Merlan, and Henry Lux, deacons ; 
with Messrs. George G. Bachman, John Knodel, and 
Matthias Hertel as elders. The congregation met in 
public halls and rented rooms until 1847, when a 
church was built on Allen street, nearly opposite the 
Brick Presbyterian church, where services are still held. 

PASTORS. 

Rev. C. F. S olden, Rev. C. Biehl, deceased, Rev. 
Birke, Rev. Illiger, Rev. C. Haas, Rev. C. Clawson, 
Rev. J. H. Conradt. 



Pastor — Rev. Charles Siebenpfeifier. 
Elders — Messrs. Adam Schake, Matthias Hertel, 
and L. Wehn. 



CHUECHES OF EOCHESTER. 159 

Deacons — Messrs. F. Ruckdeschel, Joseph Fitzen- 
berger, Wilhelm Heul, John Frick, and Franz Harwart. 
S. S. Swperinteddent — Mr. Thomas Dransfield. 
Scholars— 200. 
Communicants — -900. 

There is a day school with two hundred scholars, 
under care of Messrs. John C. Ganger, C.Schopper, and 
Miss Angnsta Kingsbury. 

The parish contains fonr societies : one for benevo- 
lent and mutually benevolent purposes ; another, con- 
sisting of married ladies, for relief of the poor ; an- 
other, containing young ladies alone, for promoting 
church interests ; and a fourth, young men alone, lor 
for educating and cultivating young men. 



FIRST GERMAN EVANGELICAL ASSOCIA- 
TION. 



Located on St. Joseph, corner Nassau street (but 
formerly on Stillson street), was organized in 1848, by 
Rev. J. Gr. Marquardt, now in California. Previous 
to that time several ministers of the Evangelical Asso- 
ciation, held services here, though irregularly and with 
little concentration of effort. As the ministers of this 
body cannot stay in one place more than two years, 
the following have been here as 

PASTORS. 

Revs. J. Wagner, J. Schaaf, M. Laner, L. Jacoby, 
A. Klenn, S. Weaver, A. Miller, P. j: Miller, G. Eck- 
hard, A Hobswarth. 

st/MMd-ftr, jzrzr /, /csy/. 

Pastor — Rev. Michael Lehn. • 

S. 8. Superintendent — Rudolph Luescher. 

Scholars— 200. 

Communicants — 1 19. 



FIRST ENGLISH LUTHERAN CHURCH. 



Was organized July 18, 1869, under the ecclesiasti- 
cal direction of the present pastor, Rev. Reuben Hill. 
This reverend gentlemen is a native of Pennsylvania, 
a graduate of Pennsylvania college, at Gfettysburgh, 
where he preached for a time, and then at Hagers- 
town, Md., at Pittsburgh, Pa., coming here in Decem- 
ber, 1868, where he has commenced an enterprise 
which is destined to assume large proportions and ex- 
ert great power. 

Pastor — Rev. Reuben Hill. 

Elders — Messrs. C. M. Meyer, and Charles Scho- 
maker. 

Beacons — Messrs. Jacob Suter, Frederick Moser, 
and G-. W. Arnold. 

S. S. Superintendent — Jesse Shepherd. 

Scholars— 260. 

Communicants — 75. 

Present place of worship, a room in a building on 
Grove, near North street. A church edifice will, it is 
hoped, ere long be erected for the use of this growing 
society. 



EVANGELICAL REFORMED EMANUEL 
CHURCH. 



Was organized in the year 1851 ; the edifice is locat- 
ed on Hamilton Place, in the 12th ward, near Mt. 
Hope ; the pastor is Rev. Charles Knss, who, after 
several years of missionary life in Rnssia, was settled 
here in the year 1869 ; the Sabbath school superin- 
tendent is Mr. Jacob Wentz. 



EVANGELICAL SAINT PAUL'S CHURCH' 



Was organized in 1864 ; the building is located on 
Fitzhugh street ; the pastor is Rev. Frederick Heinle, 
who was settled in 1869 ; the Sunday school superin- 
tendent is Mr. C. A. Becker. This church is Luther- 
an in doctrine and form of government. 



i 



FIRST REFORMED (DUTCH) CHURCH. 



This church, located on the corner of Oregon and 
Harrison streets, was organized in the year 1848. The 
founders were J. YanDoven, Levinns Yerhagen, Abra- 
ham Eevnipe, and Kots ; the presiding officer 

being Rev. S. Bolks, of the classis of Holland, Mich. 

The pastors have been : Rev. A. B. Yeerhanzen, 
now at East Williamson, ZST. Y. ; Rev. W. C. Wurt, 
now at Lodi, N". Y. ; Rev. A. Kriekaart, now at Kal- 
amazoo, Mich. ; Rev. Pierre B. Bahler, the present 
pastor, was born at Twolle, Netherlands, where his 
father had ministered for over forty years. After a 
course of education by his parent, he preached in 
Belgium, and was one of the founders of the Belgium 
Evangelical Society. Returning to the Netherlands, 
he remained in charge of two churches till he came to 
this country, October 15, 1869. At a brief sojourn 
and ministrations at Albany, X. Y., and Paterson, 
N. J., he came to this city in March, 1868, and is 
earnestly engaged in organizing his countrymen and 
leading them in the course of truth and heaven. 

There is a Sabbath school of fifty-six pupils, under 
the superintendency of the pastor. The communicants 
are 231. The church belongs to the classis of Geneva,, 
and is Dutch Reformed in its policy. 






FIRST UNIVERSALIS'! CHURCH. 



While Rochester was but a village, followers of this 
theological faith were accustomed to meet for worship 
in the school house and the court room, the preachers 

being Rev. Sampson, Rev. Henry Roberts (father 

of George H. Roberts, Esq.), Rev. William Andrews, 
Rev. Jacob Chase, Rev. T. B. Abel, Rev. Russell 
Tomlinson, and Rev. Charles Hammond. They then 
worshiped in the Court street church, until it was sold 
to the Scotch Presbyterians. Being without a place 
of worship, Sabbath school only was continued in the 
basement of the Unitarian church on Fitzhugh street, 
till the arrival of Rev. Mr. Montgomery, when they 
resumed services in Minerva hall, and continued until 
the erection of a plain structure on Chestnut, near 
Main street, which has been recently enlarged and 
beautified at great expense, being re-dedicated March 
'22, 1871 — the discourse being preached by Rev. Dr. 
Saxe, and devotional services by Rev. Messrs. Mont- 
gomery, Mann, and other clergymen. 

Among the founders and early members of this 
church were Messrs. Joseph Wood, deceased ; Isaac 
Heliums, Gilman; Schuyler Moses, John Bax- 



I 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 165 

ter, John B. Beers, M.D., J. J. VanZandt, J. R 
Boyce, and N. Bingham. 

PASTORS. 

Rev. G-eorge Montgomery, a native of Portland, 
Maine, was installed December, 1845, and served eight 
years, when ill health compelled his resignation. He 
is a resident of the city, greatly respected by all who 
know him. 

Rev. J. W. Tnttle held the position for abont six 
years, and was sncceeded by 

Rev. A. Saxe, D.D., the present scholarly and pop- 
ular incumbent, under whose pastorate the church is 
greatly prospering. 

YOUNG MEN" WHO HAVE ENTERED THE MINISTRY. 

Rev. Stephen R. Camp, now at Brooklyn. 
Rev. William Vandemark, now at Pittsburgh, Pa. 
Rev. J. Murray Bailey, now at Titusville, Pa. 
Edwin S. Corbin, in the Theological seminary. 

SUM3IABY, JULY 1, 1871. 

Pastor — Rev. Asa Saxe, D.D. . 
Deacons — Messrs A. C. Wilmot and George H. 
Roberts. 
S. S. Superintendent — W. E. Cooke. 
Scholars— 200. 
Communicants — About 100. 

Note. — The society inaugurated the now popular 
custom of Sunday school railroad excursions. 



FIRST UNITARIAN CONGREGATIONAL 
SOCIETY. 



This ecclesiastical body was formally organized 
July 18, 1841. An edifice erected on North Fitzhugh 
street in 1842-3, was destroyed by fire, November 10, 
1859, in consequence of which regular services were 
suspended till 1865, when the corner stone of the 
present sanctuary, opposite the former, was laid with 
usual ceremonies, and the house dedicated in 1866. 

Pastors in succession have been : Rev. J. P. B. 
Storer, D.D., deceased; Rev. F. A. Whitney, de- 
ceased; Rev. RufasDillis,Rev. Frederick W. Holland, 

Rev. Bacon, deceased ; Rev. W. Dougherty, 

Rev. W. H. Channing, Rev. James Richardson, de- 
ceased ; Rev. F. W. Holland, D.D., a second time, 
during whose pastorate the present structure was built 
in 1868 ; Rev. Clay McCauley, Rev. N, M. Mann. 

SUM3IARY, JULY 1, 1871. 

Pastor — Rev. Newton M. Mann. 
Deacon — John G. Williams. 

Trustees — Messrs. J. L. Angle, Joseph Curtis, and 
Simon L. Brewster. 

S. 8. Superintendent — J. L. Angle. 
Pupils — 80. Communicants — 50. 



ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCHES. 



The first Roman Catholic congregation bnilt a stone 
edifice in 1823, on Piatt street, near State, the site of 
the present Saint Patrick' s cathedral. Several clergy- 
men had charge of the enterprise, conspicious among 
whom was Bernard O'Reilly, D.D., who was conse- 
crated Roman Catholic Bishop of Connecticut in 1850, 
and was lost at sea in 1856. 

It being quite impossible to present a detailed nar- 
rative of each separate organization of this large 
ecclesiastical body, it must suffice to append the fol- 
lowing names and localities of churches, with the 
officiating officers, and various religious institutions 
in charge. 

1. Saint Patrick's Cathedral ; located on Piatt 
street ; founded in 1822 ; officiating clergy, Rev. B. J. 
McQuaid, D.D., bishop of diocese of Rochester, assist- 
ed by Rev. Messrs. J. M. Early, J. F. O'Hare, Nicholas 
Byrne, and H. D. Regge. 

2. Saint Mary' s church ; South, near Court street ; 
founded in 1842 ; officiating ministers, Rev. John 
Stewart, and James Mooney. 

3. Saint Peter and Saint Paul' s church ; Maple 
street, corner King ; founded in 1843 : officiating min 
ister, Rev. Francis H. Sinclair. 



168 CHUECHES OF EOCHESTEE. 

4. Saint Joseph' s church, German ; Franklin street ;, 
founded in 1846 ; officiating ministers, "Rev. George 
Ruland, Peter Croneberg, Joseph Clanss, George 
Rorsch, A. Pingel, and Phillip Colonel. 

5. Our Lday of Victory, French ; Pleasant street ; 
founded 1848 ; officiating minister, Rev. Joseph Dole. 

6. Church Immaculate Conception ; Plymouth 
Avenue ; founded 1848 ; officiating minister, Rev. 
Patricio Byrnes. 

7. Saint Bridget' s church ; Hand street ; founded in 
1854 ; officiating minister 

8. Saint Bonifacius church, German ; Grand street ; 
founded in 1861 ; officiating minister, Rev. John 
Flor Payer. 

9. Holy Redeemer's church ; Hudson street, corner 
Clifford ; officiating minister, Rev. Fidelis Oberholter. 

EELIGrlOUS SOCIETIES IN CITY UNDER BISHOP M'QUAID. 

1. House of Redemptorists ; adjoining Saint Jo- 
seph' s church ; Rev. George Ruland, rector. 

2. Brothers of Mary ; Franklin street. 

3. School Sisters of Notre Dame ; Andrews street. 

4. Convent and Academy of the Sacred Heart ; 
Madame Barratty, superior. 

5. Convent and Academy of Our Lady of Mercy ; 
Mother M. C. Kelley, superior. 

6. Saint Mary's Hospital. 

7. Saint Mary's Boy's Orphan Asylum. 

8. Saint Patrick's Girl's Orphan Asylum. 

9. Saint Joseph's Orphan Asylum, German. 

Ten schools, containing 1,448 boys, and 1,513 girls ; 
a large proportion are taught gratuitously. 



FRIENDS NO. 1 — FRIENDS NO. 2. 



A society of Friends was formed in 1817, and a 
meeting house was erected on Fitzhugh street, oppo- 
site the Brick church. In consequence of discussions, 
in which the name of Elias Hicks was frequently men- 
i oned, another society was formed in 1828, called the 
Orthodox Friends, who erected a place of worship on 
Jay street, in a part of the city called Frankfort. The 
trustees of this latter society were Messrs. Jesse 
Evans, Silas Cornel, and L. Atwater. Of the former : 
Messrs. Samuel Post and Joseph Green. So writes 
Henry O'Reilly, Esq., in his " Rochester and Western 
New York," under date of 1838. 

SUMMARY, JULY 1, 1871. 

Friends meeting house, Hubbell Park. No names 
of officers given in the Directory. 

Friends meeting house, Jay street near Kent. 

Pastor — Jacob D. Bell. 

S. S. Superintendent — Mr. Lindley M. Murray. 

Mr. Lindley M. Moore — father of our distinguished 
townsman, Edward M. Moore, M. D. — has just 
deceased. In his death the society of Friends lost a 
devoted and representative member ; the oppressed a 
warm advocate ; community a most worthy citizen^ 
and a home a cherished parent and kinsman. 



BEEITH KODESH— AITZ RAH NON. 



These are the names of the two Jewish congrega- 
tions, the former, 

Berith Kodesh, founded in 1843, is located on North 
St. Paul street, having both as pastor and Sunday 
school superintendent, Max Lansberg. 

Aitz Eah Non, founded in 1870, and is located on 
St. Joseph street, with Rundbaken as pastor. 

Connected with these congregations are the follow- 
ing benevolent societies : 

1. Hebrew Benevolent Society ; organized 1850 ; 
president, Henry Garson ; secretary, Joseph Kauff- 
man. 

2. Ladies' Hebrew Benevolent Society ; organized 
1865 ; president, Mrs. A. Mock ; secretary, Mrs. H. 
Britenstool. 



SECOND ADVENT. 



Organized 1867; place of worship, Washington 
Hall. 



YOUNG MEN 



EOCHESTER YOUNG MEN AND THE 
CHRISTIAN MINISTRY. 



NATIVES OF ROCHESTER, AND THOSE COMING HERE 

VERY EARLY IN LIFE, WHO ENTERED THE 

MINISTRY AND BECAME PASTORS OR 

FOREIGN MISSIONARIES. 

Names — Parentage — Church Connection — Residences — Alphabetically Arranged. 

Bush, Charles P., D.D.— David Bush; Pres. ; Nor- 
wich, Conn., Beloit, Wis., Rochester, Dist. Sec A. 
B. C. F. M. at New York. 

Bush, George C. — David Bush; Pres.; Stewarts and 
Hackelstown, N. J., Newton, Pa. 

Bush, James S. — O. N. Bush ; Ep.; San Francisco. 

Bishop, George S. — W. S. Bishop; Pres.; N. Bruns- 
wick, N. J., Newburgh, N. Y. 

Benedict, Wayland R. — Nehemiah W.; Bap.; Roch- 
ester. 

Carpenter, Elisha M. — Cyril Carpenter ; Pres.; Roch- 
ester and New York city. 

Cherry, Henry — -Pres.; missionary at S. India; died 
at the south. 

Copeland, Jonathan — David Copeland ; Pres. ; Holley, 
N. Y., now in Vermont. 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 173 

Clarke, Charles Russell — Charles L. Clarke ; Pres. ; 
Prof, in Princeton Coll., N". J., San Francisco, San 
Diego. 

Chapin, Henry B., Ph.D. — Moses Chapin; Pres.; Steu- 
ben ville, O., Trenton, N. J., New York city. 

Comstock, Grover S. — Rev. O. Comstock; Bap.; for- 
eign missionary in Burma, and died there. 

Ely, Joseph A.— W. W. Ely, M.D. ; Cong. ; Rochester. 

Gaylord, Willis S.— W. M. Gaylord; Pres.; Union 
Corners, Ossian, and Arkport, N". Y. 

Green, Jonathan S. — Pres.; missionary to the Sand- 
wich Islands. 

Hall, Augustus F.— bro. of A. G. Hall, D.D.; Pres.; 
deceased. 

Hamilton, Gavin L. — Pres.; Pittsford, Rochester. 

Hall, Alanson C. — Pres.; missionary in India; died 
at the south. 

Hunt, T. Dwight — Simeon Hunt, M.D.; Pres.; Sand- 
wich Islands, Ithaca and Waterville, 1ST. Y., Mies, 
Mich., San Francisco. 

Hastings, Parsons C. — Orlando Hastings ; Pres.; mer- 
chant in New York. 

Jervis, Kasimir Pulaski — Asahal Hatch Jervis ; Meth.; 
after serving in seven places, he is Presiding Elder 
of East Genesee Conference. 

Johnson, Thomas H. — Pres.; Bricksburgh, N. J. 

Kempshall, Everard, D.D. — Thos. Kemp shall ; Pres.-, 
Buffalo and Batavia, N. Y., Elizabeth, K J. 

Lee, Charles G. — Charles M. Lee; Pres.; Syracuse* 
N. Y., died in Rochester. 

Miller, L. Merrill, D.D. —Lewis Miller; Pres.; Bath, 
and Ogdensburgh, N. Y. 



174 CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

Miller, Enoch — Pres. ; army chaplain. 
Pierpont, James S. — Rev. Hezekiah B. Pierpont; Ep. 
Peck, Henry E. — Everard Peck; Pres.; Rochester, 
Prof, at Oberlin College, Consul General at Hayti, 
where he died in 1867. 
Smith, L. Ward— S. O. Smith; Ep.; Albion, N, Y., 
Germantown, Pa., (1) rector St. Michael's, (2) Hos- 
pital Chaplain, where he died. 
Shaw, Augustus C. — Rev. J. B. Shaw, D.D.; Pres.; 

Fulton, IN". Y. 
Starr, Frederick, Jr. — Frederick Starr; Pres.; Wes- 
ton, Mo., Penn Yan, N. Y., St. Louis, Mo., where 
died in 1867. 
Strong, Augustus H., D.D. — Alvah Strong; Baptist; 

Cleveland, Ohio. 
Ward, George Kemp — L. A. Ward ; Pres. ; licentiate. 
Ward, F. DeW., D.D.— L. Ward, M.D.; Pres.; mis- 
sionary in S. India, Geneseo, chaplain in the army 
during the war. 
Winslow, Horace — Pres.; Lansingburgh, N.Y., Rock- 
ville and New Britain, Conn., Great Barrington, 
Mass., Williamantic, Conn. 
Witherspoon, Orlando W. — Samuel Witherspoon ; 

Ep.; Buffalo. 
Warren, Daniel F., D.D. — Ep.; New York city. 

Note. — This list, though long, is, we fear, not com- 
plete. Names are not upon church records, and are 
lost to memory, which belong to this catalogue. Omis- 
sions, if any, were beyond the author' s power to rem- 
edy. Should a second edition ever appear, this defi- 
ciency, and others, can be supplied. 



MISCELLANY. 



MISCELLANY. 



LITERARY AND ECCLESIASTICAL PRE- 
FERMENTS OF ROCHESTER PASTORS. 

Rev. Dr. Penny, Pres., Prest. of Hamilton Coll., N.Y. 
Rev. Dr. Whitehouse, Ep., Bishopric of Illinois. 
Rev. Dr. Lee, Ep., Bishopric of Iowa. 
Rev. Dr. Neely, Ep., Bishopric of Maine. 
Rev. Dr. O'Reilly, R. C, Bishopric of Connecticut. 
Rev. Mr. Logan, Meth., Bishop at Syracuse. 
Rev. Mr. Bishop, Meth., Bishop at New Jersey. 
Rev. Dr. Patterson, Bap., Prest. of Waterville Coll. 
Rev. Dr. Mack, Pres., Prest. of Tennessee Coll. 
Rev. Dr. Colton, Ep., Prest. Bristol Coll. 
Rev. Dr. VanRensellaer, Ep., Prest. DeVeaux Coll. 
Rev. Dr. Edwards, Pres., Prest. of Wilson Coll. 
Rev. Dr. Morgan, Pres., Prest. of a Southern Coll. 
Rev. Dr. Parker, Pres., Prest. Union Theol. Sem. 
Rev. Dr. Mcllvaine, Pres., Prof, in Princeton Coll. 
Rev. Dr. Claxton, Ep., Prof, in Phila. Theol. Sem. 
Rev. Dr. Wm. Wisner, Pres., Mod. G. A. in 1840. 
Rev. Dr. W. C, Wisner, Pres., Mod. G. A. in 1855. 
Rev. Dr. Shaw, Pres., Mod. G. A. in 1863. 
Rev. Dr. Comstock, Bap., Chaplaincy of Congress. 
Rev. Dr. Luckey, Meth., Regent of the State of K Y. 
Rev. Dr. Goodwin, Meth., Regent of the State of N. Y. 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 177 

In addition to these are the names of 
Rev. Dr. Pease, Pres., Ex-Prest. of 'the Univ. of Vt. 
Rev. Dr. Yeomans, Pres., Trans' r of Lange's Com. 
Rev. Dr. Kendrick, Bap., Trans' r of Olshansen, &c. 
Rev. Dr. Dewey, Con., Christian Scientist and Author. 
Rev. Mr. Morris, Pres. , Author of ' ' Bible and Nature. ' ' 
Rev. Drs. Church, Cheeseman, Bush, Mcllvaine, Wis- 

ner (W. C), Luckey, Hibbard, Ward, Authors. 



LONG PASTORATES. 

It is rare to meet in our day and land instances par- 
rallel to those of Drs. Hall and Shaw, of the Third 
and Brick churches, each for more than thirty years 
pastor of the same society. The two united terms 
carry us back to a period when this region was unset- 
tled but "by the wolf and the wild deer, or the red 
hunter, untutored and untamed as they." May these 
faithful and honored servants of God and the people 
long live to advance the truth as it is in Jesus. 

Drs. Penny and Edwards were here each ten years, 
and Dr. Whitehouse fourteen. 



DESIRABLE CHANGES OF USE. 

The first theatre and the first circus in the " village" 
of Rochester were so unpopular as to prove pecuniary 
failures. After a brief career, the former, located on 
opposite Market street, was " converted" into a livery 
stable, and the latter, on the site of Aldrich's carpen- 
ter shop, into a soap chandlery and then into an iron 
foundry. In 1838, neither circus nor theatre existed 
here. — 0" Reillif s History, p. 117. 



178 CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 



REVIVALS. 



Our pulpit occupants, from Drs. Penny, Wisner, 
Parker, Gumming, Whitehouse, Com stock, Fillmore, 
and Tucker, through a long line to the present able 
incumbents, did not "labor in vain and spend their 
strength for nought. ' ' The communion occasions that 
saw no additions were "few and far between." But 
it was left for those seasons when the Spirit came down 
"like rain upon the mown grass," to witness those in- 
gatherings of souls which attracted hither the wonder- 
ing eye of the nation, and evoked glad praises above. 
The writer, in common with many of his readers, re- 
members, among the events of early boyhood, the 
crowds that thronged the plain, unpainted school 
house which stood on the site of the Union school ; 
the space being too limited to contain those who met 
to hear the truth and bow in penitence and prayer. 
In the year 1830, Rev. Charles Gr. Finney commenced 
preaching about the first of September, which he con- 
tinued almost daily for six months. The place then 
contained ten thousand inhabitants, of whom eight 
hundred were hopefully converted during that me- 
morable winter. Mr. Finney was again here in 1842, 
and again in 1856, with abundant and blessed results 
attending his plain, direct, earnest, bold declarations 
of divine truth. That great and good man, having 
survived all the associates of his middle life, is still 
serving his Master as pulpit preacher and as president 
of Oberlin college, Ohio. The late Rev. Jedediah 
Burchard was here in 1833, and again in 1842, ad- 
dressing large assemblages with abundant immediate 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 179 

effects, though with much that was exceptionable in 
manner, and less that was permanently beneficial in re- 
sult, While Mr. Finney addressed the intellect, Mr. 
Burchard appealed to the passions. The one was a 
masterly and bold logician ; the other was the dramatic 
orator, holding wrapt attention, and swaying feelings 
at his will. Rev. E. P. Hammond visited the city in 
1863 and in 1869, crowding the largest churches with 
auditors, especially the young. Strike from the roll 
of membership in the various charches of this city all 
who have been brought in during these score or more 
of " awakenings," and the sacramental army here 
would lose many of its ablest officers, with hundreds 
of the most laborious in the ranks. Rochester has 
become what it is religiously very largely through the 
agency of revivals. 



THE BIBLE. 



The Monroe County Bible Society was formed in 
this city March, 1821 ; L. Ward, M.D., president. At 
its fourth anniversary a resolution was adopted to 
place a copy of the Sacred Scriptures in every house 
of the county — a plan afterwards responded to by 
the parent society with reference to the entire land. 
One of our citizens contributes his 81,000 annually, 
and others very considerable sums. Rochester is now 
and has ever been a cheerful and abundant sustainer 
of the American Bible Society and the American and 
Foreign Bible Society (Baptist). Present depository 
of American Bible Society, 75 State street. 



180 CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

FOREIGN MISSIONS. 

Rochester has had, during the last forty years, rep- 
resentatives of both sexes in many continents and 
islands beyond the sea, while its christian citizens 
have contributed largely to sustain various missionary 
societies. Among the earlier missionaries were Rev. 
Messrs. Green, Comstock, Cherry, Ward, Hunt, and 
Mrs. Bishop (Stone), Smith (Chapin), DeForest (Sar- 
gent), McKinney (Nelson), &c. 



TRACTS AND BOOKS. 

Monthly tract distribution commenced here at an 
early day, and has been continued with greater and 
less regularity to the present time. At the depository 
of the American Tract Society, on State street, D. 
Grosvenor, superintendent, and upon the shelves of 
the various book stores, may be found the rapidly ap- 
pearing issues of the various Boards, etc., of publi- 
cation, representing all aspects of religious doctrine 
and ecclesiastical polity. Two weekly religious pa- 
pers were for several years published here, viz : Roch- 
ester Observer, edited by the late Samuel Chip- 
man ; and Genesee Evangelist, by Rev. A. G. Hall, D. 
D., and subsequently by the late Rev. R. W. Hill ; with 
other journals more limited in the number of readers 
and area of influence. 



SABBATH SCHOOLS. 



The youth of Rochester have always received a 
large amount of mental and religious attention. If 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 1.81 

they do not make good citizens and become exem- 
plary christians, the fault will be their own. Each 
Lord's day sees large rooms, in church and chapel, 
filled with children of all ages and social relations, 
receiving instruction from well qualified and faithful 
teachers who willingly forego their own rest that they 
may engage in the voluntary labor of love. The 
first Sabbath school was organized in the summer of 
1818, under the direction of Messrs. Peck, Scofield, 
and others, but suspended during winter. In 1822 
much interest was awakened by a visit from that 
"apostle of Sabbath schools,'" Rev. Thaddeus Os- 
good. The instruction was largely secular, and all 
distinctive views of doctrine carefully avoided. In 
1825 the schools came under their respective denomi- 
nations. In 1826 the Monroe County Sunday School 
Union was formed, and monthly concert on second 
Monday of each month established. The Genesee 
S. S. Union was formed in 1827 ; Josiah Bissell, presi- 
dent, and the late L. B. Tousley (a name to be men- 
tioned with esteem and gratitude) acted as general 
agent. A depository was established, with L. A. 
Ward as depositary and treasurer. The Rochester 
City S. S. Union embraces thirty schools of Protest- 
ant denominations, with an aggregate of 993 teachers 
and 8,648 scholars. The present officers are, presi- 
dent, Thomas Dransfield : secretary, A. H. Cole. 



TEMPERANCE. 

Rochester took an early part in organized efforts at 
suppressing the sale and use (as a beverage) of inebri- 



182 CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

ating liquors. "The first public resolutions ever 
adopted on the principle of total abstinence were 
passed by the Ontario Presbytery, in a session at 
Rochesterville, in August, 1827."— (O'Reilly's Hist, 
p. 100.) The first mayor of the city of Rochester, 
Hon. Jonathan Childs, in 1834, resigned his office 
rather than sign licenses to sell spirituous liquors. 
Rev. Dr. Penny, when on a visit to his native Ireland, 
was instrumental in organizing the first efforts for sup- 
pressing the use of intoxicating liquors in that land. 
Aristarchus Champion, Esq., met the entire expenses 
of Mr. Chipman, who, during 1833-4 travelled 4,400 
miles, visiting all the penitentiaries, jails and poor 
houses in the State to secure facts and disseminate 
information upon this subject. Colonel A. W. Riley 
spent two years in Great Britain lecturing to crowds 
upon total abstinence. Rev. Dr. F. DeW. Ward 
edited the first paper in any language of India de- 
voted to the cause of total abstinence. The present 
city associations in advocacy of the cause of total ab- 
stinence, as a beverage, from all that intoxicates are, 
Independent Order of Good Templars, five lodges, 
Sons of Temperance, Cold Water Temple, Rochester 
Temple of Honor. 



FIRES. 

The church edifices destroyed by fire have been the 
First Methodist, Bethel (now the Central Presbyterian), 
Second Baptist, Saint Paul's, Unitarian, Associate 
Reformed, Saint Peter' s (Presbyterian), Lake Avenue, 
Third Presbyterian, Christian where Plymouth church 



CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 183 

now stands, German Evangelical subsequently re- 
built, and First Presbyterian injured beyond repair. 
In most instances others have been erected more com- 
modious and imposing. Among the present ecclesi- 
astical structures a leading place belongs to the Saint 
Patrick's, Saint Peter's (Pres.), Third Presbyterian, 
Second Baptist, Brick, Central, Plymouth, with First 
Presbyterian, First Baptist, and Calvary now in course 
of erection. 



BENEVOLENT AND CHRISTIAN INSTI- 
TUTIONS. 

Female Charitable Society. — Organized 1822. Pres- 
ident, 1871, Mrs. Maltby Strong. 

Home for the^Friendless. — Organized 1849. Presi- 
dent, 1871, Mrs. Selah Matthews. Building on East 
avenue, corner Alexander street. 

Orphan Asylum. — Organized 1837. President, 1871, 
Mrs. Lysander Farrer. 

Church Home of the Protestant Episcopal Church 
of Eochester. — Organized 1868. President, 1871, Mrs. 
George H. Mumford. 



UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER. 
President — Martin B. Anderson, LL.D. 

Profess or 'S — Asahel C. Kendrick, D.D., A. Judson 
Sage, S. A. Latimore, A. H. Mixer, J. F. Quinby, 
LL.D., J. H. Gilmore, Henry A. Ward, and Otis H. 
Robinson. Students, 121. 



184 CHURCHES OF ROCHESTER. 

RO CHESTER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, 

President and Theological Professor — Rev. E. G. 
Robinson, D.D. 

Professors — Rev. Horatio B. Hacket, Rev. J. W. 
Buckland, D.D., Rev. George H. Whittemore, and 
Rev. Augustus Rauschenbush (in the German depart- 
ment). Students, 71. 



RAPID CHURCH ERECTION. 

The Third Presbyterian church and the Court street 
church were erected, the former in one week and the 
other 'in one month from the time in which the trees 
were standing in the forest. Josiah Bissell, Esq., and 
Colonel A. W. Riley were the executive officers in 
these rapid movements. The buildings stood for many 
years, and answered their purposes completely. 



FALL OF A STEEPLE. ■ 

When Saint Paul' s was erected the spire was to be 
two hundred and twenty-seven feet in height. All 
went on hopefully, but, alas, without success. It was 
mid-day. Providentially the twenty or more work- 
men were at their homes. A gust came careening from 
the west. For a few moments it met the attack nobly. 
A second onset, fiercer than the former, was too much, 
and the stately column fell back upon the roof, injuring 
nothing but the building, and leading to a change in 
the finish above the tower. 

THE END. 



